Periodontal Health Improves Systemic Inflammatory and Haemostatic Status

Objectives: a relationship between poor oral health and coronary heart disease (CHD) and systemic inflammatory and haemostatic factors has been recently documented. This study was performed to assess whether an intensive dental care may produce a periodontal improvement along with a change in systemic inflammatory and haemostatic factors. Methods: the study population consisted of 18 males aged 40 to 65 with proven coronary heart disease and elevated values of systemic inflammatory and haemostatic factors. A detailed description of their oral status was given by using 4 different dental indices (TDI, PTS, CPSS, and CRSS). Blood samples were taken for measurement of the following systemic markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein, leukocytes, fibrinogen) and haemostatic factors (von Willebrand factor, fibrin D-dimer, prothrombinic fragment F1.2, and serum antibodies against oxidized low density lipoprotein (anti-Ox-LDL). All parameters were determined in each subjects at baseline, after 3 months as a control and 3 months after an intensive protocol of scaling and root planning. ANOVA for repeated measures was used for the statistical analysis. Results: No statistical difference was found between values at baseline and at 3 month-control. All oral indexes showed a significant decrease (p<.01) 3 months after scaling. All systemic inflammatory indexes decreased after 3 month of intensive dental care (C-reactive protein from 4.4 ± 2.2 to 3.4 ± 2.4; leukocytes from 7928 ± 1308 to 7581 ± 1310; fibrinogen from 377 ± 71 to 352 ± 61) but only the decrease of C-reactive protein reached statistical significance (p<.05). Significant decrease (p<.05) was also found as regards anti-Ox-LDL (from 514 ± 630 to 444 ± 560) among haemostatic factors. Conclusion: preliminary results from the present study suggest an association between poor oral status and CHD, and provide evidence that the improvement of periodontal status may influence the systemic inflammatory and haemostatic situation.