Oral health status and cardiovascular risk profile in Cameroonian military population

Abstract

Background Periodontal diseases (PD) seem to appear today as predictors of some cardiovascular diseases (CVD). There is a lack of data on the oral health among Cameroonian military population, and its relationship with CVD. Purpose Investigate on the link between oral health of Cameroonian military from the Ngaoundéré garrison and their cardiovascular risk profile. Participants and methods A cross-sectional study at the Fifth Military Sector Health Center in Ngaoundéré was conducted. General health parameters assessment was done according to the World Health Organization STEPS manual for surveillance of risk factors for non-communicable chronic diseases and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. The periodontal status was assessed using Dutch Periodontal Screening Index. Results Two hundred and five participants who were officers and non-commissioned officers (aged 47 ± 08 and 32 ± 08 years respectively), with 86.4% of men were included. Smoking was associated to periodontitis (OR = 4.44 [1.73–11.43], p = 0.0031). Quality of oral hygiene was associated to high cardiovascular risk profile, poor/good (OR = 3.96 [1.07–14.57], p = 0.0386) and medium/good (OR = 3.44 [1.11–10.66], p = 0.0322). Conclusion Lifestyle as tobacco consumption and poor oral hygiene were associated to CVD among military, and this call for change.

Selected Exogenous (Occupational and Environmental) Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Diseases in Military and Aviation

“…They also confirmed tobacco smoking being a common risk factor for periodontitis and CVDs (odds ratio: 4.44 [1. 73-11.43], p = 0.0031), and indicated that poor oral hygiene, which is a well-known risk factor for periodontitis, also increases the risk of CVDs [82].…”

“…Increased oxidative stress through generation of ROS, endothelial dysfunction, oxidation of both HDL and LDL, reverse cholesterol transport, elevated plasma fibrinogen levels and inflammatory marker levels (C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), increase in the inflammatory process, changes in the thrombosis/fibrinolysis system, hypercholesterolemia, decreased HDL levels, increased blood pressure, increased blood tendency to clotting, increased heart rate, enhanced excretion of thromboxane, which results in increased vasoconstrictive properties of smoking, increased sympathetic activities and plasma catecholamine levels, elevated plasma noradrenaline levels, increased resting heart rate and decreased heart rate variability, higher total cholesterol levels [9,70,72,74,80] Oral health Production of inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukins (IL-1, IL-6, IL-8), and CRP, presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Streptococcus sanguis in patches of atheroma [82]…”