Aim: To investigate the associations between metabolic risk factors and periodontitis in young adults.
Materials and methods: The study included 1123 participants, aged 19-40 years, in Taiwan. Metabolic syndrome components were defined by the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Localized periodontitis was graded to healthy (n = 828) and stage II/III (n = 295) according to the 2017 criteria of the World Workshop. Multiple logistic regression analysis with adjustment for sex, age, betel nut consumption, and smoking were used to determine the associations.
Results: Greater waist circumference, serum triglycerides, and serum uric acid were associated with higher localized stage II/III periodontitis risk [odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04 (1.02-1.05), 1.004 (1.002-1.006), and 1.10 (1.00-1.21), respectively]. There were no associations for total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and blood pressure. There was a non-linear association between fasting glucose and localized stage II/III periodontitis, where the turning point was 105 mg/dl [OR: 0.97 (0.95-0.99) and 1.06 (1.00-1.13) when the levels were <105 and ≥105 mg/dl, respectively].
Conclusions: The risks of localized stage II/III periodontitis vary with metabolic components, in which waist circumference, serum triglycerides, and serum uric acid are the risk factors, whereas plasma glucose shows a non-linear relationship in young adults.
Keywords: localized periodontitis; metabolic syndrome; young adults.
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