Diagnostic Value of Dental Pulp Stones in the Early Diagnosis of Ischemic Heart Diseases

Abstract

Background: Pulp stones are calcified masses formed in the primary and permanent dentitions. The ischemic cardiovascular disorders (CVD) can be the first health problem of the world. It seems that there is a relationship between pulp stones and cardiovascular diseases to determine the diagnostic value of panoramic dental radiographs as non-invasive test for the early detection of CVD. Methods and Materials: The subjects of the study came from patients presenting to Dental Radiology Department of Dental School in Yazd who aged 30 - 64 years, had 8 natural teeth. They were referred to the Cardiovascular Center of Afshar Hospital in Yazd for cardiovascular evaluation. To set the cut-off point, the ratio of teeth with pulp stones to the total number of teeth for each person was calculated and also ABI for diagnosing IHD via ROC curve was used. Results: Only 3.8% of patients without pulp stone were affected by ischemic heart disease (IHD). About Sixty seven percent (67.3%) of individuals had at least one tooth with pulp stone. In individuals without IHD, 5% of the teeth showed pulp stone while this rate was 45% (9 times) in CVD patients. The number of patients for whom the ratio of teeth with pulp stone to total number of teeth was 0.2 or more, was 138.7 times greater than the other. Conclusion: The dentists, who order panoramic radiographs for the treatment of patients, exactly study those teeth for the presence of pulp stones. The ratio of teeth with pulp stone to total teeth equal 0.2 or more was a good tool for early detection of CVD.