PERIODONTITIS AND OBESITY: A CROSS SECTIONAL SURVEY

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study is to determine whether there is an association between periodontitis and obesity among adults involved in this study. Methods: In 2018, 200 subjects, > 19 years of age, who participated in this study were selected for analysis from the Department of Periodontology, Government Dental College and Hospital Ahmedabad. Participants underwent periodontal examination and anthropometric measurements and were asked to complete a socioeconomic status and overall health status questionnaire. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) have been used as overall body fat and upper body fat measurements. As established by the World Health Organization (WHO), standard BMI and WC cut off points were used. The Community Periodontal Index assessed the periodontal status and defined periodontitis as "code 3". Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusting to the following variables: sex; age; household income; bedtime toothbrushing habits; use of dental floss; use of interproximal toothbrush; presence of active tooth decay; number of permanent teeth decayed, missing or filled; diabetes mellitus and smoking status. Results: It was found that an association exit between periodontitis and high WC using the cut off points established by the WHO. Obese individuals with BMI average 25 had an adjusted odds ratio of 0.991 (0.806 to 1.220) for periodontitis. But it was found that a significant association between periodontitis and abdominal obesity. The adjusted odds ratio for periodontitis for obese subjects was 1.358 (confidence interval 1.003 to 1.839) after adjustment for all covariates. Conclusions: A high WC denoting abdominal obesity was found to be associated to periodontitis, while BMI which often tends to misclassify as obese does not, appears to be associated with periodontitis. This finding shows a significant correlation between abdominal obesity and periodontitis.