International Journal of General Medicine (Aug 2024)
Association Between Periodontal Diseases and Hypothyroidism: A Case–Control Study
Abstract
Fatemah Mohammed AlAhmari,1 Hind Saleh Albahouth,2 Hadeel Ali Almalky,2 Ebtihal Saad Almutairi,2 Muzun Hamoud Alatyan,2 Lama Ali Alotaibi2 1Department of Periodontics and Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Fatemah Mohammed AlAhmari, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Email [email protected]: Periodontal diseases are chronic inflammatory disorders influenced by systemic health of the individual. This study aimed to investigate the association between hypothyroidism and periodontal disease in a cohort of adult Saudi population.Methods: This case–control study included 201 adults with hypothyroidism on hormone replacement therapy and 188 healthy controls. The medical files of patients were reviewed to check thyroid stimulation hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) levels. Participants completed a questionnaire on demographic and health information, followed by a comprehensive periodontal examination. Pearson chi-square and binary logistic regression analyses determined associations, with a significance set at p ≤ 0.05.Results: Gingivitis was found in 20.9% of cases and 58% of controls. Periodontitis stages I, II, III and IV were in general higher in cases compared to controls (23.4%, 27.9%, 21.9%, 6% in cases versus 13.8%, 17%, 9.6%, 1.6% in controls, respectively). Mean PPD and CAL values were higher in cases (5.54 ± 2.5 and 3.88 ± 3.1) than in controls (4.03 ± 1.6 and 1.72 ± 2.4). Significant associations between periodontal status and hypothyroidism were found (p < 0.0001). The periodontal status in hypothyroid cases correlated significantly with hormone replacement therapy dose and duration (p < 0.0001).Conclusion: The findings of the current study showed that, in a cohort of adult Saudi subjects, patients with hypothyroidism have higher prevalence and more severe periodontal disease symptoms compared to controls, suggesting significant association.Keywords: hypothyroidism, periodontal diseases, hormone replacement therapy, association, case–control study