CAN TOOTH LOSS AND THE USE OF PROSTHESES IMPACT AUTONOMIC FUNCTION, AS ASSESSED THROUGH HEART RATE VARIABILITY?

Abstract

Background: Oral health has been associated with several causes of mortality, primarily cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Tooth loss and oral inflammatory processes have been related to systemic complications within the cardiovascular system, particularly hypertension and stroke. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a reliable and non-invasive tool able to provide information on the autonomic nervous system control of cardiovascular functions.Objective: To assess whether tooth loss and the use of dental prostheses can serve as predictors for alterations in cardiovascular autonomic modulation as measured by heart rate variability (HRV).Methods: Patients will be included and categorized into two groups: Controls (individuals with healthy dentition) and partially or completely edentulous individuals, with or without dental prostheses. Data collection will encompass clinical parameters, including age, gender, smoking status, comorbidities, and medication usage, with special emphasis on beta-blockers. The analysis will employ a comprehensive approach, including oral clinical assessments, blood pressure measurements, and HRV assessment using spectral and symbolic analysis techniques. Data analysis will encompass both parametric and non-parametric tests, taking into account normal distribution and homoscedasticity.Expected Results: We aim to elucidate the potential association between oral health conditions (specifically, tooth loss and the use of dental prostheses) and HRV. Furthermore, we intend to identify potential alterations in cardiac autonomic modulation correlated with poor oral conditions.