To investigate the association between dental health and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in secondary prevention setting.
A total of 888 patients with known CVD hospitalized in the cardiology unit were prospectively enrolled. We assessed the association between missing teeth and three variables of periodontitis and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and hospital readmission for congestive heart failure.
During a median (Q1, Q3) follow-up of 4.6 (1.4, 6.7) years, an additional missing tooth was associated with a 3% [95% confidence interval (CI): 1%, 5%] higher hazard of MACE (p=0.004). Compared with patients with 0 to ≤4 missing teeth, periods free from MACE [95% CI] by 5 years of follow-up were, on average, shorter by 0.17 [-0.04, 0.37] years, 0.26 [0.04, 0.49] years, and 0.59 [0.34, 0.85] years in patients with 5 to ≤7, 8 to ≤13, and >13 missing teeth, respectively. No significant associations were observed between periodontal measures and MACE incidence.
In hospitalized patients with existing CVD, the total number of missing teeth was associated with incident MACE. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.