Systemic medical conditions and periodontal status in older individuals

Abstract

AIMS: The purposes of this study are to: (1) assess the prevalence of systemic and periodontal disease in older individuals, (2) compare periodontal conditions between four age cohorts, and (3) investigate the relationship between periodontal disease and systemic medical conditions. METHODS: Electronic records from a total of 5,000 adults were randomly selected from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry database. Individuals ≥60 years of age, with at least six remaining teeth in their dentition with a complete medical history and full-mouth series of radiographs were included in the study to determine the severity of periodontal disease based on the percentage of radiographic bone loss. RESULTS: A total of 2,163 patients were included in the final analysis. The multivariable regression analysis showed that patients self-reported tobacco use and diabetes were significantly associated with moderate and severe bone loss than none to mild, whereas the opposite was found for those with joint replacement, past use of steroids and acid reflux/GERD. CONCLUSION: A number of systemic medical conditions and tobacco use are associated with periodontitis. This reflects the importance of an interdisciplinary interaction between dental and medical professionals.