title: An observational study to assess the association between osteoporosis and periodontal disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is evidence to suggest osteoporosis may result in premature tooth loss. The pathology behind this relationship is poorly understood. A correlation with osteoporosis and greater susceptibility to periodontal disease has been suggested.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between osteoporosis and periodontal disease, accounting for the effect of confounding variables of age, smoking status and oral hygiene.Setting Three hundred and fifty-nine postmenopausal women aged 45-70 years were recruited from the Greater Manchester area between March 2008 and June 2010.Subjects and methods Data were collected on osteoporosis status, smoking status, pocket probing depths, suppuration, plaque, bleeding and calculus indices. Dental panoramic tomographs were taken and periodontal bone support assessed on all teeth. Data were analysed using SPSS software (version 20).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete data were available for 348 patients. Twenty-six percent (91) of individuals were osteoporotic. Logistic regression was used. The relationship between osteoporosis status and moderate to severe periodontal disease of both molar teeth and the whole mouth was not significant (p = 0.088 and p = 0.296 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Osteoporosis is not a causal factor in the development of moderate to severe chronic periodontitis.
authors.affiliation: Speciality Registrar and Honorary Lecturer in Restorative Dentistry, University of Manchester.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Darcey
authors.affiliation: Professor in Restorative Dentistry, University of Manchester.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Devlin
authors.affiliation: Clinical Teaching Fellow, School of Dentistry University of Manchester.|Specialty Dentist, University Dental Hospitals of Manchester.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer in Evidence Based Dentistry, University of Manchester.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.affiliation: Dental Hygienist, Bolton.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Southern
authors.affiliation: Research Associate, Institute of Inflammation and Repair, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marjanovic
authors.affiliation: Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Imaging, University of Manchester.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Horner
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000009:adverse effects; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects