Is CHD Related to Reduced Dental Utilization

Objective: While patients with diabetes(DM) are at increased risk for dental problems they have been shown to be less likely to have dental encounters. This study investigated whether this reduced dental utilization among diabetes patients was a phenomena related to diabetes or whether it might also be found in CHD patients without diabetes. Methods: In order to address CHD dental utilization data from the Quest study was used. The Quest study was a 3-year prospective cohort investigation of diabetes and CHD conducted from 1999 to 2002 in Minnesota at HealthPartners. Contained within the Quest patient survey was a question related to the frequency of dental visits (see below).

Indicate when you last had a visit to the dentist: within 1 year 1-2 years over 2 years never

This question was recoded to those reporting a dental visit within the past year relative to respondents reporting their last visit being longer or never. Since diabetes patients at HealthPartners were known to have lower dental utilization than the general population, analysis of the CHD and the CHD/DM combined group were done relative to the diabetes group while controlling for age and gender. Results: Both the CHD (OR=.81; p=0.0093) only and the combined CHD&DM (OR=.70;p=0.0008)) groups had significantly lower reported dental utilization in the past year relative to the DM only group. Conclusions: These indicated an association between reduced dental utilization and another chronic condition; i.e. CHD. Thus suggesting that the phenomena may be related to the presence of certain chronic condition and may not be limited to diabetes. Implications for Translation into Practice: Physicians and dentists should encourage their patients with CHD to have regular dental visits.

This project was funded by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality R01-HS09946-01A1.