Longitudinal relationship between atherosclerosis and progression of periodontitis in community-dwelling people in Nagasaki Islands Study

Few epidemiological studies have explored the longitudinal relationship between atherosclerosis and periodontitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the longitudinal relationship between atherosclerosis and the progression of periodontitis in community-dwelling individuals in Japan. Progression of periodontitis was defined as the presence of the teeth demonstrating a longitudinal loss of proximal attachment ≥ 3 mm during the study period. Oral examinations and subclinical atherosclerosis assessments were performed. The surrogate markers of early-stage atherosclerosis were increased carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), low ankle-brachial index (ABI), and cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI). The study included 222 Japanese adults. While CAVI increased significantly in both groups, the prevalence of CAVI ≥ 8 was significantly increased in only the progression group during the study period. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the progression of periodontitis was significantly associated with cIMT. Additionally, CAVI positively correlated with changes in probing pocket depth, while ABI negatively correlated with changes in clinical attachment loss. These results suggest that participants with high cIMT, high CAVI and low ABI had a high risk of periodontitis progression after adjusting for risk factors. In conclusion, subclinical markers of early-stage atherosclerosis are significantly associated with a greater risk of periodontitis progression in community-dwelling Japanese participants.