Association between periodontal disease and systemic disease: Awareness and knowledge among medical outpatients in Lagos state university teaching hospital (LASUTH)

Abstract

Background: The bidirectional relationship between periodontal diseases and systemic health has recently attracted research attention. Knowledge of this relationship among the populace has not been encouraging. Hence this study is aimed at determining the level of knowledge of the medical outpatients of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Lagos Nigeria about periodontal disease, and its association with general health. Method: A cross-sectional survey involving 400 medical outpatients in LASUTH. Demographic characteristics, knowledge of periodontal disease, and its association with systemic illnesses were collected via a self-administered questionnaire. Each correct response attracted a score of 1 and 0 respectively. Data was analyzed using SPSS 23 software. Mean and standard deviation was calculated for quantitative variables and appropriate tests were used for hypothesis testing. Bivariate association of the age, sex, level of education, and knowledge of periodontal diseases and the relationship with systemic diseases were estimated. Binary logistic analysis was carried out to control for confounders. Significance was determined at p≤0.05. Result: Age ranged from 20-79 years. 51-65 years old formed the largest age group in the study. Male to female ratio was 1:1.2, 124 (31%) had adequate knowledge of periodontal disease while 31 (7.8%) had adequate knowledge of the association between periodontal and systemic diseases. Age (p=0.00) was statistically significant with knowledge of both periodontal disease and its association with systemic diseases. Level of education shows statistical significance (p≤0.05) with knowledge of periodontal disease only. Logistic regression reveals a significant association between age, educational status, and the knowledge of periodontal disease (p≤0.05), while the secondary level of education was the only significant factor in the knowledge of the association between periodontal disease and systemic diseases p≤0.05. Conclusion: Knowledge of Periodontal disease and its association with systemic illnesses among the population studied is grossly inadequate, especially among the lower rung in educational status and the elderly. There is a need for a widespread awareness program via lectures and social media to engage all age groups and social status.