Intensive treatment of periodontitis may reduce BP levels

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Patients with prehypertension who received intensive care for moderate to severe periodontitis had reduced systolic and diastolic BP compared with those who received standard treatment, according to data presented at American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.
Jun Tao, MD, PhD, chief of the department of hypertension and vascular disease and director of the Institute of Geriatrics Research at First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, told Cardiology Today. “Our present investigation is the first proof-of-concept study to demonstrate that this is the case in clinical practice.”

Researchers analyzed data from 107 patients with prehypertension and moderate to severe periodontitis.

Patients were assigned to receive intensive periodontal treatment (n = 53) or community-based periodontal care (n = 54), which served as the control group, for 4 weeks. Community-based periodontal care involved teeth cleaning with plaque removal above the gum line and based oral hygiene instructions. Intensive periodontal treatment included everything from the standard care treatment in addition to antibiotic treatment, cleaning down to the roots and dental extractions if required.

Follow-up was conducted for 6 months. The primary outcome was a change in BP at baseline, 1, 3 and 6 months.

At 1 month, systolic BP was reduced by 3 mm Hg in patients in the intensive treatment group (P < .05), with no significant difference in diastolic BP, compared with those assigned community-based periodontal care. Systolic BP was 8-mm Hg lower and diastolic BP was 4-mm Hg lower in patients assigned intensive treatment at 3 months vs. community-based periodontal care (P < .05 for both).

At 6 months, patients in the intensive treatment group had a reduction of 13 mm Hg for systolic BP and 10 mm Hg for diastolic BP compared with patients in the community-based periodontal treatment group (P < .05 for both), according to the researchers.

“Based on the intimate relationship between periodontitis and blood pressure, health care providers should give better public health information, even periodontal examination and the measurement of BP as routine screening annually,” Tao told Cardiology Today. “If patients have unexplained blood pressure elevation, a periodontal examination and therapy should be provided to inspect whether they got periodontitis or not. For positive ones, periodontal therapy should be performed that may reduce their blood pressure.” – by Darlene Dobkowski

Reference:

Tao J, et al. Presentation 372. Presented at: American Heart Association Scientific Sessions; Nov. 11-15, 2017; Anaheim, California.

Disclosure: Tao reports no relevant financial disclosures.