Impact of Oral Health Status on Postoperative Complications and Functional Recovery After Cardiovascular Surgery

Abstract Background Poor oral health status can lead to deteriorated general health and is common among patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery. However, the effect of oral health status on postoperative outcomes in cardiovascular surgery patients remains unclear. Thus, we investigated the effect of preoperative oral health status on postoperative complications and functional recovery after cardiovascular surgery. Methods This single-center retrospective cohort study included 884 inpatients undergoing elective cardiovascular surgery. Oral health status was assessed based on the number of remaining teeth, use of dentures, occlusal support, and periodontal status. We investigated postoperative complications related to surgery and postoperative functional recovery by measuring the reacquisition of walking ability, activities of daily living, and length of postoperative hospital stay. Results In this cohort (age 66.9 ± 13.4 years) the mean number of remaining teeth was 18.7 ± 9.4. Patients were grouped based on tertiles of the data distribution of remaining teeth: ≥20 teeth (470 patients); 10-19 teeth (137 patients); Conclusions Preoperative oral health status was related to postoperative respiratory complications and independently associated with functional recovery. Preoperative oral intervention may improve functional recovery after cardiovascular surgery.