Statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) are medications that lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and have been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. The recent update to the Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Guideline released by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology suggests reducing the 10-year risk threshold for heart attack or stroke relative to the prescription of statins from 20% to 7.5%. This could double the numbers of American statin users. Along with their ability to reduce the production of cholesterol, statins also have anti-inflammatory and bone-stimulating properties. These two pleiotropic effects have made them candidates for having a positive impact on periodontal disease and tooth loss. This longitudinal retrospective matched-cohort study examines the association between statin use and oral health using HealthPartners' medical, dental, pharmacy, and insurance claims datasets. We hypothesize that statin users will have more favorable oral health profiles with regard to tooth loss and periodontal status than those not taking statins. We also hypothesize that, among statin users, those with better adherence to treatment will have more favorable outcomes.
Statin medications taken to help control cholesterol may have a positive effect on oral health. This study uses an existing medical/dental dataset to determine if new users of statins have improved gum disease and reduced tooth loss. This is important because new statin guidelines may double the number of statin users (~30 to ~60 million).
