Validation of an oral health tool for clinicians to screen patients with cardiovascular disease

Aims: To develop and validate a screening tool to identify patients with cardiovascular disease at risk of poor oral health and requiring referrals. Design: This study was part of a larger pilot study involving a cross-sectional survey and an oral health assessment conducted with patients with cardiovascular disease. Methods: A four-item screening tool was developed by an expert panel and validated through a cross-sectional survey of patients with cardiovascular disease. The survey contained the tool and the oral health impact profile (OHIP-14) (first gold standard). Additionally, all survey participants were provided a clinical oral health assessment (second gold standard). Sensitivity and specificity analysis was undertaken comparing the tool to the two gold standards to assess patients with cardiovascular disease at risk of poor oral health. Results: Three hundred and twenty-one participants completed the cross-sectional survey and eighty nine undertook the oral health assessment. Results from both approaches showed that the tool had high sensitivities (OHIP-14 = 89%, Oral assessment = 88%) and low specificities (OHIP-14 = 33% and Oral assessment = 24%). Conclusion: The four-item screening tool is a simple and valid tool to identify patients with cardiovascular disease at risk of poor oral health and requiring a dental referral. The tool could be incorporated into routine practice of nurses across various cardiac settings.