Periodontal disease (PD) and dental caries are both known contributors to ischemic stroke risk. However, their combined impact on stroke , its subtypes, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) has been rarely explored. To fill this gap, a study analyzed data from 5,986 participants (mean age: 63 years) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study to examine the joint association of PD and caries with incident stroke, stroke subtypes, and MACEs. Over two decades of follow-up, participants with both PD and caries had an 86% higher risk of ischemic stroke and a 36% higher risk of MACEs.
Those with PD alone showed a 44% increased risk of ischemic stroke and a 17% higher risk of MACEs. The combination of PD and caries was also linked to elevated risks of thrombotic (HR: 2.27) and cardioembolic (HR: 2.58) strokes. Importantly, regular dental care was associated with lower odds of…
