Correlation between oral hygiene and health status of patients with cardiovascular diseases

Introduction: There are a number of studies in the scientific literature about the influence of endodontic pathology on the health status of patients with chronic non-communicable diseases. Diabetics have long been known to suffer from inflammatory periodontal diseases, caries and its complications. There are data that patients with cardiovascular disease also have more frequent oral pathology. More often dentists find a link between patients' dental problems and their chronic illnesses, but there are few studies on the correlation between oral hygiene and the health status of patients with cardiovascular disease. Aim: The aim of this article is to assess whether there is and what the correlation between oral hygiene and health status in patients with cardiovascular diseases is, in order to prevent their dental or general health. Materials and Methods : Forty patients with cardiovascular diseases were examined. The study used: a documentary method (patients' medical documents), a survey method, and a clinical dental examination. Results: During the dental examination we found a significant correlation between bleeding gums and the presence of cardiovascular diseases. In smokers, oral hygiene and brushing teeth were very neglected. Survey data showed that less frequent brushing of teeth is more common among men, older patients and those who are overweight. Patients with lower body weight who followed a diet and healthy eating also had better oral hygiene. A total of 61% of the patients reported a visit to their dentist in the last year. Most respondents (72%) had at least one dental problem, but only 12% received adequate information from their dentist about their oral health. Conclusion: Our results confirm the positive correlation between oral hygiene and the health status of patients with cardiovascular diseases, therefore it is important for dentists to train more actively such patients to improve their oral hygiene, which would improve their overall health.