The association of periodontal disease parameters with systemic medical conditions and tobacco use.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to determine if an association existed between periodontal disease and various systemic medical conditions and tobacco use.


METHODS
The study design was a case-controlled, retrospective chart review. Patient charts (n=2006) were selected from more than 13,000 active patients attending the University of Minnesota dental clinics. These charts were examined to determine patient's self-reported systemic condition and smoking history. In addition, the number of missing teeth and bone loss were recorded. Two examiners collected the data. One examiner abstracted patient's medical history from the standard clinic medical questionnaire. The second examiner assessed the radiographs and dental charts to determine bone loss and number of missing teeth. Each examiner was blind to the findings of the other.


RESULTS
After adjusting for age, sex, diabetes and smoking (yes/no) status, seven conditions were significantly (p=0.0003-0.04) related to bone loss or number of missing teeth (vascular disease, heart surgery, vascular surgery, heart attack, thyroid problems, arthritis, stomach ulcers). From these conditions, thyroid problems and arthritis had a negative association with bone loss.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings support the results from previous investigators that a number of systemic conditions and smoking are closely associated with missing teeth or bone loss.
Molloy
John
J
School of Dentistry, Division of Periodontology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Wolff
Larry F
LF
Lopez-Guzman
Angel
A
Hodges
James S
JS
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001168:Arthritis / Q000150:complications; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000150:complications; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000150:complications; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000150:complications*; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000150:complications