Assessment of Oral and Dental Health Status Among Turkish Individuals with Coronary Artery Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Poor oral health is associated with cardiovascular disease, but nursing-focused evidence in coronary artery disease (CAD) is limited in Turkey. This study assessed oral and dental health status among Turkish individuals with CAD and its relationship with sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioural factors. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 394 patients with CAD were consecutively enrolled from a cardiology department and outpatient clinic in Mardin, Turkey. Data were collected with two researcher-developed forms and the Turkish Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT; 0–16), and analysed with group comparisons, correlations, and an a priori path model with bootstrapped indirect effects. Results: The mean OHAT score was 3.43 ± 2.58, and 86.0% met the tool’s dental referral criterion. Most (91.9%) visited a dentist only when they had a complaint, 21.1% never brushed, and 88.3% reported having no oral hygiene information. Higher OHAT scores were associated with longer diagnosis duration, more comorbidities, lower education, less frequent brushing, complaint-only dental visits, and lack of oral hygiene information. Age and education were indirectly associated with OHAT score through oral care behaviour. Conclusions: Oral health practices were poor. Routine nursing oral health assessment with dental referral may be warranted; the benefit of nurse-led education requires interventional testing.