Missing Teeth as an Early Predictive “Sign” for Atherosclerosis: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND: Various mechanisms suggest that periodontal pathogens and inflammatory processes contribute to systemic pathogenic processes such as atherosclerosis. This study investigated the possibility of a correlation between the presence of incidentally found calcifications along the course of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and tooth loss and periodontal status. METHODS: A retrospective CBCT analysis was performed on 110 patients. CBCT scans obtained as a part of the dental examinations were analyzed for missing teeth and evidence of any calcification along the ICA course. The mean age, gender, and the total number of missing teeth for all scans revealing calcifications were evaluated. RESULTS: The study sample consisted of 110 scans, with the cohort’s mean age (SD) of 50.01 (±11.6) and gender distribution of 53.4% females and 43.6% males. A total of 17% of the scans exhibited the presence of calcification. A comparison of missing teeth between the two groups revealed that the group with calcification exhibited more missing teeth, which was statistically significant with a p-value of 0.01. Comparison of the apical lesions between the two groups revealed that apical lesion was higher in the group with calcification and was statistically significant with a p-value of 0.011. CONCLUSIONS: The greater the number of missing teeth, the higher the chances of calcifications being detected along the course of the ICA.