The need for oral and dental hygiene in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy – preliminary study

Introduction. Most patients over 40 years old who present for specific treatments in the dental offices have at least one general condition. Specialized research has shown that atherosclerosis is more common in patients with periodontal disease, which suggests that periodontal and cardiovascular disease may have similar causes. Purpose. Given the close connection between the two conditions, we have tried to draw the attention of patients to the importance of the prophylactic maneuvers performed by him or by specialized personnel and we also want to emphasize the importance of the dental hygienist in this process. Material and method. In order to carry out this study, a questionnaire with predetermined answers was used, applied to 57 patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and who presented for specialized treatments in dental offices. Results and discussions. The answers really reflect how the patients understood the connection between the two conditions and how they perform the oral and dental hygiene. Conclusions. Given that many of the respondents do not perform the hygiene procedures correctly or incompletely, there is a need for a medical staff to discuss with patients to educate them on the importance and the way of hygiene and to perform the oral and dental hygiene procedures, in short the dental hygienist.