December 2011

Background: Dental pulp stones are discrete calcifications in the pulp chamber which are often seen in deciduous and permanent teeth. It has been hypothesised that atherosclerosis can be associated with their development. Objective: To determine whether a higher prevalence of dental pulp stones is correlated with coronary artery stenosis. Clinical setting: Sixty-one patients aged 20-55 years referred to Afshar Heart Center for invasive coronary angiography were invited to undergo panoramic dental radiography. The panoramic radiographs were independently examined for the presence of pulp stones. Results: Pulp stones were present in 82% (31/38) of patients with at least one clinically significant coronary artery stenosis and in 48% (11/23) of patients with normal coronary angiography. They were present in 13% of the teeth in the former group and in 5% of the teeth in the latter. The findings show a statistically significant association between coronary artery stenosis and presence of pulp stones (odds ratio 4.83, 95% confidence interval 1.5-15.4). Conclusion: Coronary artery stenosis and dental pulp calcification are significantly associated. Dental radiography has the potential to be used as a rapid screening method for the early detection of coronary artery stenosis. Key words: dental pulp calcification, coronary stenosis, panoramic radiography