Treating periodontal disease after cardiac surgery for atrial fibrillation (AFib) may help prevent the condition from recurring, according to a new report.

Published in American Heart Association Journalone study found that cleaning your teeth may improve the prognosis of atrial fibrillation.

It was conducted from April 1, 2020 to July 31, 2022, and 92 participants received radiofrequency catheter ablation and treatment for gingival inflammation.

Another 191 participants also underwent ablation procedures but did not receive treatment for gingival inflammation.

Follow-up was performed 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after each patient’s ablation procedure and every 6 months thereafter.

Recurrence rate

Findings include:

• A quarter (24%) of participants experienced a recurrence of atrial fibrillation
• People with severe gingival inflammation who were treated were 61% less likely to experience atrial fibrillation again than those with severe gingival inflammation who were not treated.
• People who experienced AFib recurrence were more likely to have more severe periodontal disease
• Having periodontal disease, being female, experiencing an arrhythmia for more than 2 years, and left atrial volume were predictive of AF recurrence.

“Gum disease can be improved through dental intervention,” said Shunsuke Miyauchi, lead study author and assistant professor at Hiroshima University Health Services Center.

“Appropriate management of periodontal disease appears to improve the prognosis of atrial fibrillation, and many people around the world may benefit from it.”

He continued, “Although the main results were in line with their expectations, we are not satisfied with how useful a quantitative measure of periodontal disease, known as periodontal inflammatory surface area (PISA), is in cardiovascular clinical practice.” I was surprised,” he added.

Risk factor

A new study also investigated the link between e-cigarettes and heart failure, with one in five participants who smoked e-cigarettes developing heart failure.

Researchers at MedStar Health in Baltimore analyzed data from 175,667 adult participants in the United States over four years. Of these e-cigarette users, 3,242 developed heart failure during the study period. This was 19% higher than he expected from someone who had never vaped.

A variety of socio-economic and demographic factors were considered in determining the study results. Examples include other heart disease risk factors and drug use, such as alcohol and tobacco.

Researchers found no evidence that age, gender, or smoking status influenced the relationship between e-cigarettes and heart failure.

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