Prevalence of Erectile Dysfunction and Associated Risk Factors among Patients with Chronic Periodontitis Attending Various Dental Clinics

Background: There is scarce local data available regarding the prevalence of erectile dysfunction and its association with chronic periodontitis for the Saudi population. Both phenomena share common cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors, such as smoking, diabetes and hypertension. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of erectile dysfunction among patients presenting with dental problems. Design: A Cross-Sectional Study. Setting: The Specialist Dental Center, Al-Qurayyat; The Specialist Dental Center, Aljouf; Dental Clinics in the Primary Care Centers in Skaka City; Dental Clinic Centers affiliated to the Faculty of Dentistry, Jouf University, Aljouf, Saudi Arabia. Method: Nine hundred eighty-three male patients visiting different dental clinics filled a standard proforma after giving informed consent. It contained variables like age, relevant medical history, and Arabic translation of the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) questionnaire. A dental surgeon evaluated the patients and a diagnosis of chronic periodontitis was ascertained. Result: A total of 983 males with a mean age of 39.1 +/- 12.2 years were included. Erectile dysfunction was found in 309 (31.4%) patients visiting dental clinics. Increasing age, smoking, and diabetes were significantly associated with erectile dysfunction. Chronic periodontitis was found to be significantly associated with erectile dysfunction (P-value < 0.001). Conclusion: The increased prevalence rate of erectile dysfunction among males with dental problems indicates that screening for erectile dysfunction in patients attending dental clinics is a growing necessity. It may also be concluded that erectile dysfunction and chronic periodontitis are in association with each other.