Recent research has indicated that patients with advanced chronic kidney disease may face a higher risk of surgical site infections following tooth extractions, and those on hemodialysis with inadequate dental care may be more susceptible to cardiovascular disease and pneumonia.
In a study, published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, investigators recruited 157,994 Japanese adults who underwent tooth extractions (excluding impacted wisdom teeth) between 2015 and 2021. The findings revealed that patients with stage IV to V chronic kidney disease (CKD) had nearly twice the risk of developing surgical site infections, whereas those on hemodialysis had over three times the risk. Mild or moderate CKD, however, did not present an elevated risk. The researchers emphasized the importance of maintaining oral health to prevent tooth extractions, particularly to reduce the risk of infections in high-risk patients.
In a separate study, 10,873 patients starting hemodialysis were analyzed. Among them, 6,152 did not visit a dentist, 2,221 sought dental treatment for symptoms like cavities, and 2,500 received preventive dental care—which included regular visits for oral hygiene and maintenance but no significant treatments. The results showed that those in the preventive care group had a 14% lower risk of a major cardiovascular event compared with those who didn’t visit a dentist, while the dental treatment group had an 11% increased risk. For infectious diseases, the preventive care group also had a 14% lower risk, while no statistically significant difference was seen in the dental treatment group. Notably, the risk of pneumonia dropped by 26% among those receiving preventive care and by 20% among those undergoing symptomatic dental treatments, suggesting that oral care may help prevent aspiration pneumonia.
The investigators concluded that collaboration between nephrologists and dentists is essential for managing oral health in CKD patients and effectively reducing infection risks.
Source: Renal+Urology News