Periodontal status of adults with systemic sclerosis in Hong Kong

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Periodontal health status of dentate Hong Kong Chinese adults with systemic sclerosis (SSc) was studied. METHODS: Thirty-seven SSc adults (36 females; aged 21-76 years, mean 51.2±11.9) attending a teaching hospital, and 37 age- and sex-matched controls who were systemically healthy attending a dental hospital were surveyed. RESULTS: Twenty-three (31.1%) of all subjects were regular dental attenders. Both groups showed similar demographies except that more in the SSc group were housewives (p=0.02). Both groups had similar numbers of standing teeth (control vs test: 23.7±6.0, 24.9±5.2), plaque % (66.0±14.5% vs. 68.1±21.0%), and mean full-mouth probing attachment level (PAL in mm: 3.10±1.24 vs. 3.15±0.82), while controls had less bleeding on probing (BOP%: 49.4±25.6% vs. 77.1±14.6%, p <0.0001) and shallower mean full-mouth probing pocket depth (PPD in mm: 1.96±0.46 vs. 2.47±0.54, p <0.0001). In particular, the SSc subjects had higher percentage sites with PPD 4-5 mm (control vs. test: 4.57±5.30% vs. 13.29±15.10%, p=0.0018). CONCLUSIONS: Hong Kong Chinese SSc adults while experiencing similar levels of plaque and PAL, exhibited greater periodontal inflammation and a greater prevalence PPD sites 4-5 mm than age- and sex-matched controls. Further studies are warranted to investigate associations between periodontal disease features and the systemic sclerosis state.