Oral pathology in patients with cardiovascular diseases

Abstract

Introduction: Dentists often are the first to identify symptomatic manifestations of various diseases of internal organs when treating inflammatory diseases of the periodontium, caries and its complications. Oral pathology or a random test of clinical laboratory parameters with establishment of deviations in them can refer us to the disease. If dentists neglect and underestimate the problem, complications can arise in the treatment of these patients. Aim: The aim of this article is to evaluate the type of oral pathology in patients with cardiovascular diseases. Materials and Methods : Our study was carried out among 40 patients with cardiovascular diseases. The patients were treated at St. Marina University Hospital and had outpatient monitoring at St. Marina Diagnostic and Consultative Center, Varna. The following methods were used: documentary, clinical dental examination; DMFT; PPD; PBI and CAL; radiographic examinations, electric pulp test; palpation and percussion tests. Results: All patients were with proven and treated cardiovascular diseases. The mean age of examined patients was 53.26 ± 16.22 years (mean ± SD). Their gender distribution was as follows: 53% (21) men and 47.50% women (19). The average DMFT was 14.38, 80% of the patients lacked an average of 8.74 ± 1.75 teeth, 5% had total dentures, 15% partial dentures, and 5% were totally edentulous and without any prosthetics. We established values for PPD 3.74 ± 0.46 mm, and in 15 patients ≥ 5 mm, and for PBI - 2.15 ± 0.25. Apical periodontitis was found in 33% of the patients. Conclusion: The presence of significant oral pathology in patients with cardiovascular diseases indicates that they are immunocompromised and are at greater risk of inflammation due to their underlying disease, therefore prevention and treatment of dental infections are essential for improving their general somatic health.