Maintaining periodontal health may contribute to a healthy respiratory system, according to a new study in the Journal of Periodontology (January 10, 2011). The study suggests that periodontal disease may increase the risk for respiratory infections, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia.
Researchers from Kunhitharuvai Memorial Charitable Trust (KMCT) Dental College and the Institute of Technology and Science (ITS) Centre for Dental Studies and Research in India conducted a matched case control study that included 200 participants between the ages of 20 and 60 with at least 20 natural teeth.
Half of the participants were hospitalized patients with a respiratory disease such as pneumonia, COPD, or acute bronchitis, and the other half were healthy control subjects with no history of respiratory disease. Each participant underwent a comprehensive oral evaluation to measure periodontal health status.
The researchers found that patients with respiratory diseases had worse periodontal health than the control group, suggesting a relationship between respiratory disease and periodontal disease. They suspect that the presence of oral pathogens associated with periodontal disease may increase a patient's risk of developing or exacerbating respiratory disease. However, additional studies are needed to more conclusively understand this link, the study authors noted.
"This study provides yet another example of how periodontal health plays a role in keeping other systems of the body healthy," said Donald S. Clem, DDS, president of the American Academy of Periodontology, in a press release.
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