Periodontal management may reduce hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome and stroke in older individuals

Background

This study aimed to examine the impact of periodontal management on the occurrence of acute coronary syndrome and stroke using retrospective analysis of Japanese health insurance claims data.

Methods

The analysis included health insurance claims data of individuals aged ≥ 75 years who had been diagnosed with periodontal disease and received treatment between September 2016 and February 2017. Hospitalizations related to acute coronary syndrome and stroke were observed as outcome events during the follow-up period from March 2017 to March 2019. Covariates such as sex, age, place of residence, and chronic diseases were adjusted for using a generalized linear mixed model.

Results

The study involved 117,010 participants with a mean age of 80.0 ± 4.0 years, and 44.7 % were male. The analysis suggested that supportive periodontal therapy significantly reduced the risk of hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome (adjusted odds ratio: AOR 0.88, P = 0.017). Supportive periodontal therapy also showed a borderline significant 13 % reduction in stroke hospitalizations.

Conclusions

Periodontal treatment is associated with a decreased risk of acute hospitalization. Regular periodontal management, aimed at minimizing oral chronic inflammation, can potentially lower the risk of developing acute coronary syndrome and stroke.