Periodontal Care May Help Improve Outcomes for Acute MI

THURSDAY, Sept. 29, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Patients who receive periodontal care are significantly more likely to have follow-up visits after hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association.

Romesh P. Nalliah, D.D.S., from University of Michigan School of Dentistry in Ann Arbor, and colleagues examined the associations of periodontal care with AMI hospitalization and outcomes in the 30 days after acute care. The analysis included 2,370 patients with both dental insurance and medical insurance (2016 through 2018) who were hospitalized for AMI in 2017.

The researchers found that 47 percent received regular or other oral health care, 7 percent received active periodontal care, and 10 percent received controlled (maintenance) periodontal care. Prior to AMI hospitalization, more than one-third of patients (36 percent) did not have oral health care. Patients in the controlled periodontal care group were significantly more likely to have follow-up visits during the 30 days after AMI hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio, 1.63), when adjusting for patient characteristics.

“Our results add weight to the evidence that medical and dental health are closely interrelated,” Nalliah said in a statement. “More and more studies like ours are showing that it is a mistake to practice medicine without the thoughtful consideration of the patient’s oral health.”

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