The Oral Health Status of Patients with Peripheral Vascular Disorders: A Systematic Review

Objectives: Periodontal disease and tooth loss were found to be associated with several peripheral vascular disorders (PVD). Nonetheless, an evaluation of the literature on the broader domains of oral health in individuals with PVD is lacking. This systematic review aims to collate the current evidence on the oral health status of individuals with PVD.
Methods: Five electronic databases were searched for studies assessing oral health parameters in individuals with PVD. Outcome measures considered were periodontal health, dentition status, caries indices, oral prostheses, oral pathologies and oral hygiene behaviours. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to appraise the quality of the studies.
Results: From 3025 records identified, 24 studies involving 1232 participants with PVD were included in this review. In 9 studies, periodontitis was significantly more prevalent in PVD compared to non-PVD participants. A further 6 studies reported individuals with PVD also had significantly fewer teeth and increased rates of edentulism. Only 1 study reported a higher incidence of dental caries in PVD participants. Other aspects of oral health such as oral prosthesis, oral pathology and oral hygiene behaviours were seldom assessed.
Conclusion: The scarcity of studies reporting on broader domains limited our ability to arrive at a conclusion regarding the oral health status of individuals with PVD. Future studies ought to assess these domains in individuals with PVD and controls to gain a more complete understanding of oral health and its potential association with PVD