title: Oral hygiene, periodontal health and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the associations of oral hygiene and periodontal health with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 392 COPD patients were divided into frequent and infrequent exacerbation (≥2 times and <2 times in last 12 months) groups. Their lung function and periodontal status were examined. Information on oral hygiene behaviours was obtained by interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the univariate analysis, fewer remaining teeth, high plaque index (PLI) scores, low tooth brushing times, and low regular supra-gingival scaling were significantly associated with COPD exacerbations (all p-values <0.05). After adjustment for age, gender, body mass index, COPD severity and dyspnoea severity, the associations with fewer remaining teeth (p = 0.02), high PLI scores (p = 0.02) and low tooth brushing times (p = 0.008) remained statistically significant. When stratified by smoking, fewer remaining teeth (OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.04-4.02) and low tooth brushing times (OR = 4.90, 95% CI: 1.26-19.1) among past smokers and high PLI scores (OR = 3.43, 95% CI: 1.19-9.94) among never smokers were significantly associated with COPD exacerbations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fewer remaining teeth, high PLI scores, and low tooth brushing times are significant correlates of COPD exacerbations, indicating that improving periodontal health and oral hygiene may be a potentially preventive strategy against COPD exacerbations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Beijing ChaoYang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, China.
authors.forename: Zhiqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Liangqiong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yiqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Zuomin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004245:DMF Index; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000150:complications*; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*