Researchers Find Link Between Dental Health and Stroke Risk

In a study published in the October issue of the Journal of Periodontology, BUSDM researchers found people ages 60 and older who have periodontal disease are at an increased risk of having a stroke.

"We found that patients 60 years and older who were edentulous, partially edentulous and/or had significant clinical attachment loss were more likely to have a history of stroke compared to dentate adults without significant clinical attachment loss," says Dr. Martha Nunn, associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and Health Services Research.

Dr. Hyo-Jung Lee of the Department of Health Policy and Health Services Research, Dr. Raul Garcia, chair of the Department of Health Policy and Health Services Research, Dr. Sok-Ja Janket, assistant research professor in the Department of General Dentistry, Dr. Judith Jones, chair of the Department of General Dentistry, Dr. Ana Karina Mascarenhas, associate professor and director of the Division of Dental Public Health, Thayer Scott, instructor in the Department of Health Policy and Health Services Research, and Nunn looked at data collected in the "Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey" (NHANES III) to conduct their research.

"Based on the results of this study, it is unclear whether periodontal disease is an independent risk factor for stroke or simply a risk marker that reflects negative effects of risk factors common to both periodontal disease and stroke," Nunn says.