Periodontal disease and stroke: a meta-analysis of cohort studies

This review aimed to determine the association between periodontal disease and stroke incidence by a meta-analysis of cohort studies. Cohort studies that evaluated the incidence of stroke (fatal or non-fatal, ischaemic or haemorrhagic) and baseline periodontal status and calculated relative risk values were included. The quality of the included studies was assessed using an evaluation grid. The analyses were conducted separately for three outcomes: periodontitis, gingivitis and loss of teeth. Adjusted values of relative risk or of hazard ratio were used to assess risk values in each study. Random effects meta-analyses were conducted when data could be pooled. From the 743 references retriev…