An observational study to assess the association between osteoporosis and periodontal disease

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. Objectives: 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. © 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited.