Dental evaluation is helpful in the differentiation of functional heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease

Table 1 Comparison of parameters between patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease and those with functional heartburn

		GERD (n = 66)	FHB (n = 50)	P value
Gender (male/female)		32 (48.5%)/34 (51.5%)	19 (38%)/31 (62%)	NS
Age, yr (min-max)		57 (22-82)	51 (25-79)	NS
BMI, kg/m2 (min-max)		28 (16-37)	26 (17-39)	< 0.05
Mean DMS		29.84	3.34	< 0.0001
Mean impedance ± SD		2175 ± 650	2489 ± 731	< 0.05
Number of teeth (min-max)		18.3 (0-32)	20.7 (0-32)	NS
Toothless		8 (12.1%)	3 (6%)	NS
DE all		22 (33.3%)	6 (12%)	< 0.01
DE only		3 (4.5%)	5 (10%)	NS
PD all		52 (78.8%)	32 (64%)	NS
PD only		33 (50%)	31 (62%)	NS
DE and PD		19 (28.9%)	1 (2%)	< 0.01
Neither DE, nor PD		3 (4.5%)	10 (20%)	< 0.01
Periodontal scores (mean ± SD)		1.45 ± 0.85	0.97 ± 0.84	< 0.01
Drinking carbonated drinks	Nowadays	8 (12.2%)	10 (20%)	NS
	Previously	22 (33.3%)	15 (30%)
	Never	36 (54.5%)	25 (50%)
Eating sour foods	Nowadays	15 (22.7%)	9 (18%)	NS
	Previously	13 (19.7%)	9 (18%)
	Never	38 (57.6%)	32 (64%)
Bruxism/teeth grinding		9 (13.6%)	8 (16%)	NS
Total duration of heartburn, mean years (range)		15 (0-64)	9 (0-35)	< 0.01
Duration of heartburn until diagnosis, mean years (range)		5.3 (0-49)	2.9 (0-30)	NS

GERD: Gastroesophageal reflux disease; FHB: Functional heartburn; BMI: Body mass index; DMS: DeMeester score; PD: Periodontal disease; DE: Dental erosion; DE all: All the patients who had DE, and some of them have associated PD as well; DE only: Such patients have only DE and have not PD; PD all: All the patients who had PD, and some of them have associated DE as well; PD only: Such patients have only PD and have not DE; SD: Standard deviation; NS: Not significant.

Table 2 Comparison of parameters between patients with or without dental erosion and periodontal disease

		DE (n = 17)	PD (n = 24)	Both (n = 10)	Neither (n = 54)	P value
Gender (male/female)		7 (41.2%)/10 (58.8%)	12 (50%)/12 (50%)	7 (70%)/3 (30%)	21 (38.9%)/33 (61.1%)	NS
Age, yr (min-max)		50 (24-79)	60 (41-82)	62 (40-71)	53 (22-80)	NS
BMI, kg/m2 (min-max)		27 (17-35)	28 (16-39)	29 (26-35)	26 (18-37)	NS
Heartburn		17 (100%)	24 (100%)	10 (100%)	54 (100%)	NS
Nausea		12 (70.6%)	9 (37.5%)	7 (70%)	23 (42.6%)	NS
Vomiting		4 (23.6%)	5 (20.8%)	5 (50%)	9 (16.7%)	NS
Dysphagia		11 (64.7%)	10 (41.7%)	5 (50%)	21 (38.9%)	NS
Regurgitation		15 (88.2%)	15 (62.5%)	8 (80%)	39 (72.2%)	NS
Drinking carbonated drinks	Nowadays	2 (11.8%)	5 (20.8%)	2 (20%)	8 (14.8%)	NS
	Previously	6 (35.3%)	10 (41.7%)	1 (10%)	17 (31.5%)
	Never	9 (52.9%)	9 (37.5%)	7 (70%)	29 (53.7%)
Eating sour foods	Nowadays	5 (29.4%)	6 (25%)	0 (0%)	11 (20.4%)	NS
	Previously	2 (11.8%)	6 (25%)	4 (40%)	7 (13%)
	Never	10 (58.8%)	12 (50%)	6 (60%)	36 (66.7%)
Bruxism (teeth grinding)		4 (23.6%)	4 (16.7%)	2 (20%)	7 (13%)	NS
Number of teeth (min-max)		24 (13-31)	18 (1-30)	21 (13-28)	22 (2-32)	NS
Plaque Index (min-max)		58 (15-100)	72 (32-100)	67 (35-97)	49 (0-94)	< 0.01
Esophagitis score (mean ± SD)		1.6 ± 1.4	1.5 ± 1.4	1.8 ± 1.2	0.9 ± 1.1	0.05
Mean DMS		23.11	17.5	26.91	13.94	NS
Mean impedance ± SD		2390 ± 878	2393 ± 714	1708 ± 249	2427 ± 690	NS
Pathological reflux		7 (41.2%)	9 (37.5%)	9 (90%)	15 (27.8%)	< 0.01
Any proximal reflux		8 (47.1%)	9 (37.5%)	7 (70%)	19 (35.2%)	NS
Distal reflux		11 (64.7%)	13 (54.2%)	10 (100%)	21 (38.9%)	< 0.01

PD: Periodontal disease; DE: Dental erosion; BMI: Body mass index; DMS: DeMeester score; SD: Standard deviation; NS: Not significant.