The Association between Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Dental Caries amongst Patients Visiting a Dental College in Greater Noida, U.P

Abstract

Background: Although Dental Caries and Cardiovascular Diseases CVDs share certain common risk
factors, its effect on the development of caries needs to be established.
Objectives: To find any association, if present between cardiovascular risk factors and dental caries.
Material and Method: This case-control study employed a stratified random sampling with every 10th
patient visiting the OPD was asked for voluntary participation in the study. Following a written consent,
participants underwent height, weight and blood pressure measurement, diagnosis of dental caries using the
DMFT index and collection of blood sample (FBG and lipid profile). Increase in values in any of the above
criterias (except DMF) or having a history of smoking were included as the cases. Data were transferred
to SPSS version 21.0 and the students paired samples t-test and multiple logistic regression were applied.
Values were considered significant when p was ?0.05.
Results: Caries incidence (mean DMF) was higher in cases (3.54±2.8) as compared to controls (2.74±2.1)
with significant differences between mean DMF (.03), BMI (0.003) and TG (0.01) observed among cases. A
statistical significance (p=.01) was observed especially when DMF was?5. Multivariate logistic regression
revealed a significant association in relation to DMF(0.90-1.02), FBG(0.47-0.81) and TG(0.40-0.91). The
odds of the cases having elevated diastolic blood pressure and TC was 1.09 (CI:0.95-1.26) and 2.42 (CI:1.68-
3.49) times higher as compared to controls.
Conclusion: The need of dentists as well as medical practitioners to provide anticipatory guidance to their
patients having presence of cardiovascular risk factor (s) and/or increased DMF scores is emphasized to help
reduce the burden of both these diseases.