title: Association between periodontal changes and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the possible association between periodontal changes and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women through a longitudinal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  This longitudinal study included 33 patients. The participants were divided into three groups according to the bone mineral density assessed in the lumbar region: normal bone (G1, n = 15), osteopenia (G2, n = 12) and osteoporosis (G3, n = 6). Periodontal evaluation included clinical attachment level, probing depth, gingival bleeding index and visible plaque index, evaluated by two examiners blinded to systemic bone condition. The statistical process included the t-test for paired samples, with a significance level of 5% to check for changes in periodontal parameters considered at initial and final systemic bone density.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that, after follow-up, there was a significant increase in gingival bleeding index in the group of women who had normal initial bone condition and progressed to osteopenia (after 3 years, 59.89%, p = 0.010) and osteoporosis (after 3 years, 74.37%, p = 0.035). In addition, the group diagnosed with osteopenia at baseline who progressed to osteoporosis after 3 years also showed a significant increase in gingival bleeding index (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that periodontal changes can be associated with osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Dentistry Program, Federal University of Maranhão , São Luís, Maranhão , Brazil.
authors.forename: F M B G
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: A E F
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: L M O
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: F F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Lopes
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: BONE DENSITY; OSTEOPENIA; OSTEOPOROSIS; PERIODONTAL DISEASES; POSTMENOPAUSAL