Study links gum disease, heart attack risk independent of smoking
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Posted June 21, 2004 |
For adults under the age of 55, the association between periodontal disease and heart attack risk is strong regardless of whether or not smoking — a known risk for gum disease — is a factor, according to recent study results.
Investigators from the State University of New York at Buffalo examined the periodontal status, smoking habits and heart health of a cohort of 1,485 subjects — 589 who had been discharged from a hospital following a heart attack and 896 chosen at random.
They found that subjects under 55 with markers for periodontal disease showed a two- to four-times greater risk of having a heart attack, regardless of tobacco use. In fact, probing depth — the measure showing the strongest relationship between periodontal disease and heart attack risk — was greater in the non-smokers than the smokers.
However, for subjects older than 55, smoking was associated with an increase in heart attack risk of between four and eight percent, depending on periodontal status, according to the study.
The association between oral health and heart risk was strong and independent of smoking status in those aged 55 year or younger, the investigators concluded, but tobacco use was associated with increased heart risk in older patients.
The study was funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
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