Studies have connected dental decay, and particularly root caries, with systemic health. One study has shown a significant correlation between number of carious surfaces and death due to cardiovascular disease amongst a Swedish population when adjusted for age and gender.41 When caries was part of a composite of five oral pathologies (including periocoronitis, retained root remnants, edentulism, gingivitis and dental caries), this composite made a significant contribution to an explanatory model of coronary heart disease in a Finnish adult population.42 Swedish research has reported that community-dwelling Swedish citizens aged 80 and over with three or more active root caries had more than twice the odds of cardiac arrhythmias than persons without active root caries.43 There was no association in this population between periodontal disease and arrhythmia. Most recently, an American study reported that root caries was an independent predictor of incident myocardial infarction and a marker for an overall decline health.44
The biological pathway from adult caries to systemic health remains unclear. One systematic review suggests that nutrition may be the mediator between oral and systemic disease.45
Importantly, many older Canadian dental patients are aware of the associations between tooth decay and their overall health. In a recent on-line survey of dental knowledge and attitudes, 4 out of 10 older Canadians knew that good oral health was important to systemic health.
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