Periodontitis and premature death: A 16-year longitudinal study in a Swedish urban population

Background and Objective: Growing experimental evidence implicates chronic inflammation/infection due to periodontal diseases as a risk factor for death. The objective was to evaluate the role of periodontitis in premature death in a prospective study. Methods: The causes of death in 3273 randomly-selected subjects, aged 30-40 years, from 1985 to 2001 were registered. At baseline, 1676 individuals underwent a clinical oral examination (Group A) and 1597 did not (Group B). Mortality and causes of death from 1985 to 2001 were recorded according to ICD-9-10. Results: In Groups A (clinically examined group) and B, a total of 110 subjects had died: 40 subjects in Group A, and 70 in Group B. In Group A significant differences were present at baseline between survivors and persons who later died, with respect to dental plaque, calculus, gingival inflammation and number of missing molars in subjects with periodontitis (p < 0.001). The multiple logistic regression analysis results of the relationship between being dead (dependent variable) and several independent variables identified periodontitis with any missing molars as a principal independent predictor of death. Conclusions: Young individuals with periodontitis and missing molars seem to be at increased risk for premature death by life-threatening diseases, such as neoplasms, and diseases of the circulatory and digestive systems. © 2007 Blackwell Munksgaard.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Self-reporting of periodontal diseases and clinical assessment outcome in a Swedish urban population of smokers and non-smokers

The aim of this study was to determine whether there is an association between self-reporting of periodontal diseases and outcome in a clinical examination, and whether any difference is present in awareness of periodontal status between smokers and non-smokers. Participants comprised 1676 adults (838 M and 838 F aged between 31 and 40 years), 564 of whom reported being smokers. Subjects were asked via questionnaire whether they thought they had periodontal disease and why. A total of 1655 subjects answered the questionnaire and were subsequently divided into those who suspected having periodontal disease (Yes-group) and those who did not (No-group). A full-mouth clinical examination was carried out in all subjects. Female smokers in the Yes-group had a significantly higher number of teeth with pockets ≥5 mm (P < 0.001) and a higher calculus index (CI-S, P < 0.01) than female smokers in the No-group. Male smokers in the Yes-group had significantly less remaining teeth (P < 0.01), more teeth with pockets ≥5 mm (P < 0.001), and a higher CI-S (P < 0.05) than their counterparts in the No-group. For smokers, multivariate logistic regression analysis yielded an odds ratio (OR 3.21 [95% CI 1.73-5.74]) of self-reported periodontal disease to periodontitis outcome which was significant (P < 0.001). This association remained significant (P < 0.01) after adjustment for confounding factors. Subjects who reported having periodontal disease, especially those who also reported having movable teeth, were confirmed to have the disease. Smokers were more aware of their periodontal status than non-smokers.link_to_subscribed_fulltex