Overweight and obesity weakly predict the development of periodontal infection.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between body weight and periodontal infection in a longitudinal setting.


METHODS
This study was based on a subpopulation of the Health 2000 Survey that included dentate, non-diabetic subjects aged 30-59 years, who had never smoked and who had participated in the Follow-Up Study on Finnish Adults' Oral Health approximately 4 years later (n=396). The number of new teeth with deepened (4 mm deep or deeper) periodontal pockets in the follow-up examination was used as the outcome variable. Body weight was measured using body mass index, categorized into three categories: <25.0 (normal weight), 25.0-29.9 (overweight) and 30.0 or more (obesity). Incidence rate ratios were estimated using Poisson's regression models.


RESULTS
Body weight was weakly, but not statistically significantly, associated with the number of new teeth with deepened periodontal pockets among subjects who were periodontally healthy in the baseline examinations, whereas only a minuscule association was found among subjects who had periodontal infection at baseline.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this follow-up study do not provide evidence that overweight and obesity can be considered significant risk factors in the pathogenesis of periodontal infection.
Department of Periodontology and Geriatric Dentistry, Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. tuomas.saxlin@oulu.fi
Tuomas
T
Saxlin
Pekka
P
Ylöstalo
Liisa
L
Suominen-Taipale
Arpo
A
Aromaa
Matti
M
Knuuttila
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D018450:Disease Progression; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data