Periodontitis and metabolic syndrome

Background + Aims

• Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory condition that causes gum and bone damage. It is often linked with systemic inflammation and conditions like metabolic syndrome (MetS).
• Metabolic syndrome includes risk factors such as central obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and elevated fasting glucose.
• This study explored the relationship between metabolic risk factors and localised moderate-to-severe (stage II/III) periodontitis in young adults aged 19–40 years.

Materials + Methods

• 1,123 young adults from Taiwan (mostly military personnel) were included. They were divided into two groups: those with healthy gums or mild periodontitis (stage I) and those with localised moderate-to-severe periodontitis (stage II/III).
• Gum health was assessed using clinical attachment loss (CAL) and probing pocket depth (PPD).
• Metabolic risk factors included waist circumference, triglycerides, uric acid, fasting glucose, HDL, LDL, total cholesterol, and blood pressure.
• Relationships between metabolic risk factors and periodontitis were analysed, adjusting for age, gender, smoking, and betel nut chewing.

Results

• Metabolic risk factors and periodontitis:
  • Waist circumference: Each 1 cm increase was associated with a 3.5% higher risk of developing moderate-to-severe periodontitis.
  • Triglycerides and uric acid: Higher levels were linked with increased gum disease severity.
  • Fasting glucose: Showed a non-linear association. The risk decreased below 105 mg/dL but increased above this level.
• Prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS):
  • Participants with MetS were 63% more likely to have moderate-to-severe gum disease compared to those without MetS.
  • The risk of periodontitis increased as the number of MetS components rose.

Limitations