Relationship of periodontal disease and edentulism to stroke/TIA.

Periodontitis has been shown to increase the systemic inflammatory response, which has been implicated in atherosclerosis and cerebrovascular events. We hypothesized an association between periodontitis or edentulism and Stroke/TIA in the ARIC Study. Data on 9415 dentate and 1491 edentulous adults included demographics, cardiovascular outcomes, lifestyle, laboratory measures, and, for 6436 of the dentate, a dental examination. The dependent variable was Stroke/TIA, and the exposure was extent (%) of attachment level 3+ millimeters (AL). Quartiles of AL and edentulism were compared for Stroke/TIA using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), and confounders were controlled by logistic regression. Stroke/TIA was prevalent in 13.5% of periodontal examinees, 15.6% of dentate non-examinees, and 22.5% of edentulous persons. The highest quartile of AL (OR 1.3, CI 1.02-1.7) and edentulism (OR 1.4, CI 1.5-2.0) were associated with Stroke/TIA.

Relationship of periodontal disease to carotid artery intima-media wall thickness: the atherosclerosis risk in communities (ARIC) study.

Periodontitis has been linked to clinical cardiovascular disease but not to subclinical atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether periodontitis is associated with carotid artery intima-media wall thickness (IMT). Cross-sectional data on 6017 persons aged 52 to 75 years were obtained from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study 1996 to 1998 examination. The dependent variable was carotid IMT >/=1 mm. Periodontitis was defined by extent of attachment loss >/=3 mm: none/mild (<10%), moderate (10% to <30%), or severe (>/=30%). Covariates included age, sex, diabetes, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, hypertension, smoking, waist-hip ratio, education, and race/study center. Odds of IMT >/=1 mm were higher for severe periodontitis (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.73 to 2.53) and moderate periodontitis (OR 1.40, CI 1.17 to 1.67) compared with no periodontitis. In a multivariable logistic regression model, severe periodontitis (OR 1.31, CI 1.03 to 1.66) was associated with IMT >/=1 mm, while adjusting for the other factors in the model. These results provide the first indication that periodontitis may play a role in the pathogenesis of atheroma formation, as well as in cardiovascular events.

Movement of teeth adjacent to posterior bounded edentulous spaces.

Bounded edentulous spaces (BES)-a missing posterior tooth with intact adjacent teeth-are thought to lead to arch collapse resulting from the movement of adjacent teeth. To determine the rate of change in distance between teeth adjacent to a BES, we examined three successive measurable radiographs of 116 untreated posterior BES cases. The distance between the teeth (DBT) adjacent to the space was measured, and change in DBT (delta DBT) between pre-extraction and follow-up radiographs was calculated. We used linear spline regression to construct models for tooth movement and to identify factors associated with delta DBT. The mean delta DBT was < 1 mm during the first year post-extraction, and the DBT continued to decrease at a successively slower rate each following year. Overall and for each tooth type, the greatest rates of decrease in DBT were seen in the zero to two-year period. In a multivariable model, time since extraction and tooth type were significantly associated with delta DBT. These findings suggest that movement of teeth adjacent to a posterior BES after the first two years is usually gradual and minor within the time frame of this study.

Analysis strategies for longitudinal attachment loss data.

The purpose of this invited review is to describe and discuss methods currently in use to quantify the progression of attachment loss in epidemiological studies of periodontal disease, and to make recommendations for specific analytic methods based upon the particular design of the study and structure of the data. The review concentrates on the definition of incident attachment loss (ALOSS) and its component parts; measurement issues including thresholds and regression to the mean; methods of accounting for longitudinal change, including changes in means, changes in proportions of affected sites, incidence density, the effect of tooth loss and reversals, and repeated events; statistical models of longitudinal change, including the incorporation of the time element, use of linear, logistic or Poisson regression or survival analysis, and statistical tests; site vs person level of analysis, including statistical adjustment for correlated data; the strengths and limitations of ALOSS data. Examples from the Piedmont 65+ Dental Study are used to illustrate specific concepts. We conclude that incidence density is the preferred methodology to use for periodontal studies with more than one period of follow-up and that the use of studies not employing methods for dealing with complex samples, correlated data, and repeated measures does not take advantage of our current understanding of the site- and person-level variables important in periodontal disease and may generate biased results.

Etiologic models for incident periodontal attachment loss in older adults.

Etiologic factors for incident periodontal attachment loss (ALOSS) have not been conclusively identified. The purpose of this study was to develop etiologic models for ALOSS in older adults. Data on 697 older blacks and whites were obtained from 5 sequential examinations over 7 years in the Piedmont 65+ dental study, a complex random sample of older adults in North Carolina. Multivariable Poisson regression models were fit for average number of ALOSS events per person or site month at risk. In models for whites, molar sites, sites with adjacent caries, sites in persons who had: Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g.) at least 2% of total microbial count (TMC), never had a dental checkup, more depression symptoms, fewer than 12 years of education, higher BANA score, or smoked, had significantly higher rates of ALOSS. In a separate model for blacks, interproximal and molar sites, sites in blacks who had: P.g. at least 2% of TMC, higher BANA score, never had a dental checkup, lower socioeconomic status (SES), or smoked, had significantly higher rates of ALOSS. These results confirm a multifactorial etiology for ALOSS in older adults and indicate that interventions aimed at infection, smoking, and preventive dental care utilization, may be most useful.

Meta-analysis of the effect of systemic metronidazole as an adjunct to scaling and root planing for adult periodontitis.

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to provide a quantitative overview of clinical trials assessing the use of systemic metronidazole (S-MET) as an adjunct to scaling and root planning (S&RP) in the treatment of adult periodontitis. Eight clinical trials were chosen based upon a priori selection criteria, and two outcomes, "reduction in probing pocket depth" (PD) and "gain in clinical attachment level" (CAL), were analyzed. Results for each outcome were stratified by initial PD 1-3 mm, 4-6 mm, or > or = 7 mm and length of follow-up 4-6 wk, 9-13 wk, or 14-26 wk. S-MET in conjunction with S&RP was superior to S&RP alone in reducing PD where initial PD was 4-6 mm and follow-up was 9-13 wk (0.43 mm; 99% CI 0.12, 0.73). No significant advantage was observed for S-MET for reducing PD where initial PD was less than 4 mm or follow-up was longer than 13 wk. S-MET in conjunction with S&RP was superior to S&RP alone in reducing CAL where initial PD was 4-6 mm and follow-up was 4-6 wk (0.29; 99% CI 0.01, 0.58) and where follow-up was 9-13 wk (weighted mean difference 0.32; 99% CI 0.03, 0.61). Significant heterogeneity of effect was not seen for PD or Cal at any level of initial PD or length of follow-up. No significant dose-response relationship was observed. This meta-analysis was limited due to diversity of data presentation and the small number of trials in each stratum. These results suggest that S-MET in conjunction with S&RP may offer a benefit over S&RP alone in the treatment of adult periodontitis patients in managing pockets of 4 mm or greater, but the additional benefit was not evident if initial PD was less than 4 mm or follow-up was beyond 13 wk.

Assessing dental anxiety, dental care use and oral status in older adults.

This study examined associations between dental anxiety and dental care use and oral health status in dentate older adults. Analysis of data from the Piedmont 65+ Dental Study revealed that aspects of dental care use and oral health status were independently associated with high dental anxiety. These results suggest that measures to control dental anxiety may help to improve dental care use and oral health status in older adults.