Association Between Periodontal Disease and Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women in Jordan

Background: Some studies suggest that females with osteoporosis are at an increased risk of periodontal attachment loss and tooth loss; however, results have varied. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between periodontitis and osteoporosis among postmenopausal Jordanian women. Methods: This cross-sectional study includes 400 Jordanian postmenopausal women with a mean age of 62.5 years (SD +/- 6.4 years). These subjects were recruited from patients who had received a routine dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry examination in the Radiology Department, King Abdullah Hospital, Jordan University of Science and Technology, between June 2008 and February 2009. The relationship between skeletal bone mineral density (BMD) and radiographic and clinical parameters of periodontal status, including the loss of alveolar crestal height (ACH), clinical attachment level, probing depth, and percentage of sites with bleeding on probing, was evaluated after controlling for known confounders. Results: Bivariate analyses revealed no significant differences in the severity and extent of clinical attachment and ACH loss among women with normal BMD, osteopenia, and osteoporosis. However, in the multivariate analysis, women with osteoporosis were more likely to have severe ACH loss (odds ratio [OR]: 4.20; 95% confidence interval [Cl]: 1.57 to 11.22) and periodontitis (OR: 2.45; 95% Cl: 1.38 to 4.34). Conclusion: Osteoporosis was significantly associated with severe alveolar crestal bone loss and the prevalence of periodontitis cases in postmenopausal Jordanian women. J Periodontol 2010;81:1613-1621.