Periodontitis was associated with higher odds of a heart attack
Observational studies linked gum disease with acute heart attacks, but findings varied and the estimated association weakened after adjustment for publication bias.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
People with periodontitis had higher odds of acute myocardial infarction, or a heart attack, in the pooled evidence. The association remained statistically significant after an adjustment for publication bias, although the estimate became smaller. These observational findings cannot establish that gum disease causes heart attacks or that treating it prevents them.
This abstract-based explanation is limited by substantial variation across studies and detected publication bias. Observation periods and reference-group definitions are missing, making the pooled association harder to interpret.
What researchers found
Acute heart attack: pooled odds ratio
People with periodontitis had higher odds of an acute heart attack: 1.84 times the reference group's odds. Odds differ from probability; reference-group definitions and observation periods were not specified.
What the odds ratio means
Odds compare how often an event occurs with how often it does not. The pooled odds ratio concerns acute heart attacks; it does not give an individual's absolute probability or a percentage increase in risk.
Why the adjustment matters
The authors used an adjustment intended to account for potentially missing studies. Its smaller estimate matters for interpreting the strength of the association, even though the adjusted confidence interval still supported higher odds.
The original publication
Association between periodontitis and acute myocardial infarction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Li L, Wu H, Peng L et al.
BMC Oral Health · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41618248
- Record checked
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