The association of obesity and periodontitis in Korean

Recent studies showing obesity has been associated with an increased susceptibility to and severity of periodontal disease have been published. In Korea, few studies have addressed the relationship between obesity and periodontitis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of obesity with periodontitis in Korean.

Method:

The population of 260 subjects were recruited from the patients who had visited Department of Periodontology, Dental Hospital, Kyung Hee University from August 2007 to July 2010. Clinical examinations (anthropometric measurements & periodontal examinations) performed included age, body weight, height, waist circumference, hip circumference, probing pocket depth, gingival recession, bleeding on probing, O’Leary plaque control records and medical history takings. Obesity was assessed by body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and waist/hip circumference ratio (WHR). The severity of periodontitis was categorized into three groups according to clinical case definitions proposed by the CDC Working Group. Statistical analysis accounted for survey design, and separate analyses were performed.

Result:

1. The association between obesity and periodontitis was not statistically significant in general.

2. A nominal logistic regression analysis showed that smokers were approximately 3.4 times more likely to have severe periodontitis than the non-smokers.

3. In females, positive correlation existed between WHR and occurrence of periodontitis, with a significantly (p<0.05) higher risk (OR=2.62) of severe periodontitis in obese than in normal WHR females.

Conclusion:

Abdominal obesity was significantly associated with severe periodontitis in adult, Korean women. The association between obesity and periodontitis in Korean men was not statistically significant. Smoking may have attenuated the association of periodontitis with obesity.