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Tooth loss related to hypertension risk in postmenopausal women
The presence of edentulism may serve as a significant warning sign for increased hypertension risk in postmenopausal women, according to findings published in the American Journal of Hypertension.
Researchers sought to find the relation between periodontal disease and edentulism with incident hypertension.
“Edentulism has been found to be associated with coronary heart disease, stroke and all-cause mortality,” Joshua H. Gordon, a graduate research student in the department of epidemiology and environmental health at the School of Public Health and Health Professions at the University of Buffalo and the State University of New York, Buffalo, and colleagues wrote. “Risk of hypertension associated with edentulism could be related to life-course health factors that either lead to or were associated with edentulism, including past history of periodontal disease.”
The study cohort consisted of 36,692 postmenopausal women (mean age, 67 years, 89% white) and were followed through 2015 (mean time, 8.3 years). Baseline history of other conditions reported included diabetes (2.6%), CHD (16.8%) and cancer (16.7%).
The researchers adjusted for potential confounders, including age, BMI, race/ethnicity, education level, red meat intake, hours of sleep and physical activity.
Gordon and colleagues could not identify the association of periodontal disease with the risk for hypertension in either crude (HR = 1; 95% CI, 0.96-1.04) or multivariable-adjusted models (HR = 0.99; 95% CI, 0.95-1.03).
However, edentulism was significantly associated with hypertension in both the crude (HR = 1.38; 95% CI, 1.28-1.49) and multivariable-adjusted (HR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.11-1.3) models.
The researchers wrote that further studies are needed to clarify and explain the role of periodontal conditions on the risk for hypertension.
“Improved dental hygiene among those at risk for tooth loss as well as preventive measures among the edentulous such as closer blood pressure monitoring, dietary modification, physical activity and weight loss may be warranted to reduce disease burden of hypertension,” Gordon and colleagues wrote. – by Earl Holland
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.