Background: Pulp stones are calcified masses formed in the primary and permanent dentitions. The ischemic cardiovascular disorders (CVD) can be the first health problem of the world. It seems that there is a relationship between pulp stones and cardiovascular diseases to determine the diagnostic value of panoramic dental radiographs as non-invasive test for the early detection of CVD. Methods and Materials: The subjects of the study came from patients presenting to Dental Radiology Department of Dental School in Yazd who aged 30-64 years, had 8 natural teeth. They were referred to the Cardiovascular Center of Afshar Hospital in Yazd for cardiovascular evaluation. To set the cutoff point, the ratio of teeth with pulp stones to the total number of teeth for each person was calculated and also ABI for diagnosing IHD via ROC curve was used. Results: Only 3.8% of patients without pulp stone were affected by ischemic heart disease (IHD). About Sixty seven percent (67.3%) of individuals had at least one tooth with pulp stone. In individuals without IHD, 5% of the teeth showed pulp stone while this rate was 45% (9 times) in CVD patients. The number of patients for whom the ratio of teeth with pulp stone to total number of teeth was 0.2 or more, was 138.7 times greater than the other. Conclusion: The dentists, who order panoramic radiographs for the treatment of patients, exactly study those teeth for the presence of pulp stones. The ratio of teeth with pulp stone to total teeth equal 0.2 or more was a good tool for early detection of CVD.

Introduction: Flaxseed and sesame both are capable of reducing blood pressure, but no studies have been done to compare their effects on hypertension. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of breads containing either milled sesame or flaxseed on blood pressure of patients with type I hypertension. Methods: This was a randomized, single blind clinical trial study. Demographic information was obtained from 100 eligible patients and they were randomly allocated to flaxseed or sesame groups. They received breads containing 30 g of either flaxseed or sesame for 14 weeks. Blood pressure, abdominal circumference, and BMI (body mass index) were measured at the beginning, seventh week, and at the end of study. Questionnaires regarding their eating habits and physical activities were also completed at these times. Data was analyzes by SPSS version 16 and independent sample t test and repeated measurement test. Results: Both sesame and flaxseed significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p=0.001) and there was no significant difference. On average, systolic pressure decreased by 9.5 mmHg with sesame and 10 mmHg with flaxseed. Likewise, diastolic blood pressure decreased by 5.05 mmHg with sesame and 5.8 mmHg with flaxseed. BMI and abdominal circumference reduced in both flaxseed (p= 0.001 and 0.001, respectively) and sesame (p=0.01 and 0.02, in order). No difference was observed between these groups. Conclusion: Both sesame and flaxseed could similarly decrease systolic and diastolic blood pressure, abdominal circumference, and BMI. Therefore, they could be used as supplements in reducing blood pressure.