Endodontic infections in a Portuguese population with self-reported cardiovascular disease - a cross-sectional study

Aim To assess the prevalence of apical periodontitis, root-filled teeth, and related covariates, considered potential risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in patients with a self-reported cardiovascular disease history, who first attended the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Porto, in 2018.

Methodology Out of 2,063 reviewed medical and dental records, 1,841 individuals met the inclusion criteria. Endodontic infections and oral status were assessed through orthopantomography. Cardiovascular disease classification was based on self-reported diagnosis. Medical history included dichotomous data on hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and smoking. Bivariate analyses were conducted using Student’s t-test for quantitative variables and Pearson’s Chi-square test for categorical variables (95% CI, α = 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression assessed the impact of confounders on the presence of AP and RFT. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results The prevalence of apical periodontitis and root-filled teeth was 72% and 45.6% in patients with cardiovascular diseases, and 47.1% and 48.3% in those without. Bivariate analysis revealed significant associations between cardiovascular disease and age, gender, number of teeth, apical periodontitis, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking. No significant association was found between cardiovascular disease and root-filled teeth. In the multivariate model, the association between apical periodontitis and cardiovascular disease was no longer statistically significant.

Conclusions Although the prevalence of apical periodontitis and root-filled teeth was higher in patients with self-reported cardiovascular disease, no significant association was observed. Hypertension and smoking emerged as key risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Further research is warranted to clarify the potential link between endodontic infections and cardiovascular conditions.