Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of mortality in adult population. Whereas the association between periodontal disease and coronary heart disease (CHD) are controversial, recent studies reported the association between periodontal disease and acute myocardial infarction or prognosis of CHD. This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between periodontal disease and angiographically defined CHD, and acute myocardial infarction, and the prognosis of treated CHD.

Patients under the age of 60 who had undergone the diagnostic coronary angiography were enrolled in this study. Subjects were classified as positive CHD (+CHD, n=37) with coronary artery stenosis more than 50% in at least one of major epicardial arteries, and negative CHD (-CHD, n=20) without stenosis. After recording the number of missing teeth, periodontal disease status was measured by means of plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL). Positive CHD subjects were classified into acute myocardial infarction group (AMI), and non-AMI with angina pectoris and old myocardial infarction. Six months postoperatively, positive CHD subjects were followed and had undergone the coronary angiography again.

Even though there was no significant difference in the periodontal parameters and status between positive CHD and negative CHD, some periodontal parameters, such as mean probing depth and proportion of sites with probing depth greater than 4mm or 6mm were significantly different between AMI and Non-AMI( p <0.05). There was no significant difference in the periodontal parameters according to in angiographically follow-up status.

These results indicate that periodontal disease may be associated with the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction.