The Study
Carotid Artery Calcification Detected on Panoramic Radiography Is Significantly Related to Cerebrovascular Accident, Coronary Artery Disease, and Poor Oral Health: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study
This study found that people who have calcium deposits in their neck arteries on a dental X-ray also often have heart problems or strokes. But it doesn't prove the calcium caused those problems — maybe the heart problems came first, or maybe both happened because of other reasons like bad diet or smoking.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
When dentists take routine X-rays of your jaw, they sometimes see calcium deposits in neck arteries — a sign of clogged arteries elsewhere in the body.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 544 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — finding these spots on a dental X-ray could mean someone has serious, undiagnosed heart disease or high blood pressure that needs medical attention.
- 2People with these calcium spots had over twice the odds of having had a stroke or heart disease, 3 times higher odds of high blood pressure, and worse dental health (more cavities, missing teeth).
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Dentistry Journal
Year
2024
Authors
Anmol Brar, Katherine Decolibus, D. S. Rasner, Angela R Haynes, Frank Pancratz, O. Oladiran, S. Gbadamosi, A. Owosho
Related Content
Claims (6)
Of the patients whose dental X-rays showed calcium buildup in the neck arteries, only 41.7% went on to see a doctor for it.
Chronic bacterial infections in the mouth and poor dental hygiene are linked to the hardening of heart valves and coronary arteries.
Adults with carotid artery calcification seen on dental X-rays frequently have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, with rates of 86.2%, 57.6%, and 30.7% respectively.
Adults aged 29–92 with carotid artery calcification seen on dental X-rays have 2.2 times higher odds of having had a stroke and 2.1 times higher odds of having had coronary artery disease compared to those without such calcification.
Adults with visible calcium deposits in the carotid arteries on dental X-rays have 3.2 times higher odds of having high blood pressure and 1.7 times higher odds of having high cholesterol, regardless of age or gender.
People with visible calcium deposits in their neck arteries on dental X-rays have more tooth decay, missing teeth, and fillings on average than people without these deposits.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.