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.