A cross-sectional study of the associations between periodontitis and carotid arterial calcifications in an elderly population

Abstract

Objective. To evaluate if the presence of periodontitis is associated with carotid arterial calcifications diagnosed on panoramic radiographs in an elderly population. Materials and methods. Study individuals were randomly selected from the Swedish civil registration database representing the aging population (60–96 years) in Karlskrona, Sweden. Bleeding on probing (BOP) and the deepest probing measurement at each tooth were registered. The proportions of teeth with a probing depth ≥5 mm and the proportion of teeth with bleeding on probing were calculated. Analog panoramic radiographs were taken and the proportion of sites with a distance ≥5 mm between the alveolar bone level and the cement–enamel junction (CEJ) were assessed. A diagnosis of periodontitis was declared if a distance between the alveolar bone level and the CEJ ≥5 mm could be identified from the panoramic radiographs at >10% of sites, probing depth of ≥5 mm at one tooth or more and with BOP at >20% of teeth. Results. Readable radiographs were obtained from 499 individuals. Carotid calcification was identified in 39.1%. Individuals were diagnosed with periodontitis in 18.4%. Data analysis demonstrated that individuals with periodontitis had a higher prevalence of carotid calcifications (Pearson χ² = 4.05 p < 0.05) and with a likelihood of 1.5 (95% CI = 1.0, 2.3, p < 0.05). Conclusions. Data analysis demonstrated a significant association between periodontitis and carotid calcification.