In a remarkable study in Sweden, dentists have led the way in a study designed to spot the early-warning signs of cardiovascular disease – which can lead to heart attacks.
The study published in Journal of the American Dental Association enrolled 200 patients who were selected to make sure that the results were truly independent and reliable; patients had to be forty five years or older with no previous record of taking medication for hypertension and no visits to a health care professional during the preceding 12 months during which glucose levels, total cholesterol levels or blood pressure had been assessed.
The purpose of the study was to produce a HeartScore for each patient using a computerised system that calculates a percentage risk of that patient dying from cardiovascular disease in the next ten years. Patients with a HeartScore of ten per cent or higher were recommended to seek medical advice.
The patients were interviewed some six to twelve months after the study to discover how many of them had undergone a medical referral. Over fifty per cent who had a HeartScore of ten per cent or higher were found to have sought medical advice and received prescriptions for anti hypertensive medications.
The authors of the study conclude ‘Dentists are health care professionals who are used to performing risk assessment to ascertain patients’ oral health. Oral health care professionals can identify patients who are unaware of their risk of developing serious complications as a result of CVD and who are in need of medical intervention.’
With emerging data suggesting an association between oral and non-oral diseases and with the possibility of performing chairside screening tests for diseases such as CVD and diabetes mellitus, oral health care professionals may find themselves in an opportune position to enhance the overall health and well-being of their patients.
Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of British Dental Health Foundation, the largest independent dental charity in the UK commented:
“Over the last few years there have been many studies published on the links between good oral health and general health with people with gum disease experiencing higher levels of heart disease, strokes, diabetes and low birth weight babies. This new study could put the dentist at the forefront of the fight against cardiovascular disease one of the biggest killers in the UK.
The majority of the population attend the dentist much more frequently than they do their doctor so placing the dentist at the centre of a preventive approach to help prevent heart disease would make a lot of sense.
Screening in dental practice for risk factors for cardiovascular disease could both help to reduce the huge burden heart disease represents to the health service and would link in with a preventive approach to reduce gum disease and improve overall health and wellbeing.
It is important across all areas of health to take a preventive approach rather than just to treat symptoms when they arise, a message that applies equally to dental health.”
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