Background: Patients with hyperlipidemia are of interest because of the possible interplay between chronic local dental infections and hyperlipidemia. This interventional clinical study aimed to evaluate the oral health status of hyperlipidemic patients receiving lipid-lowering therapy for at least 6 months and the effects of non-surgical and surgical dental treatments on serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and lipid markers. Methods: Twenty-eight patients with controlled hyperlipidemia and 18 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. All participants underwent dental examinations (clinical evaluation, X-ray imaging, and microbial analysis of subgingival and supragingival plaque samples) at baseline. Hyperlipidemic patients received periodontal, endodontic, and dentoalveolar surgical treatments. Serum CRP and lipid parameters were assessed at baseline, 1 week, and 3 months, while subgingival and supragingival plaque samples were analyzed at baseline and 3 months after completing dental treatments. Results: At the 3-month follow-up, clinical periodontal characteristics, including the plaque index, gingival index, and periodontal probing depth, improved significantly (p < 0.05). A significant shift in microflora was observed in both subgingival and supragingival plaque samples (p < 0.05), alongside improvements in periodontal values and a significant reduction in serum CRP levels (p < 0.05). Serum cholesterol levels decreased significantly, while moderate improvements in serum triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein levels were observed but were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Treating local dental inflammation is associated with a significant decrease in CRP and cholesterol levels and may serve as beneficial adjunct therapy alongside lipid-lowering therapy in patients with hyperlipidemia.
Keywords: C-reactive protein; cardiovascular disease; hyperlipidemia; non-surgical dental treatment; surgical dental treatment.