Purpose: The purpose of the present observational study was to assess the prevalence of radiographic alveolar bone loss (ABL) as a function of age at the Periodontics Clinics at the College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Materials and methods: Medical and dental healthcare records of individuals visiting the Periodontics Clinics at College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh Saudi Arabia were assessed. The following information was retrieved: age, gender, educational status, and systemic diseases (diabetes mellitus [DM], hypertension, osteoporosis and obesity). Digital full-mouth radiographs were retrieved from patients' dental records, and marginal bone loss (MBL) was assessed on the mesial and distal surfaces of all teeth. Logistic regression analyses (LRA) were done to assess the correlation between ABL and gender, age, educational status and duration since diagnosis of the aforementioned systemic conditions. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: In total, medical and periodontal healthcare records of 495 individuals were retrieved and assessed. All individuals were citizens of the KSA. Among these, 107 were healthy controls and 98, 95, 96 and 99 individuals had a medical diagnosis of type-2 DM, hypertension, obesity and osteoporosis, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean age and gender of all medically compromised participants. The prevalence of mild, moderate, and severe periodontitis in the total patient population was 51.4%, 37.5% and 36.5%, respectively. Among all healthy controls, the prevalence of mild, moderate, and severe periodontitis was 16.3%, 25.5% and 33.4%, respectively. There was no difference in the prevalence of mild, moderate, and severe periodontitis in relation to advancing age in the entire patient population.
Conclusion: Advancing age did not seem to affect ABL in the present patient population. Patient education, oral hygiene maintenance and SES seem to be more predictable indicators of ABL than increasing age.
Keywords: alveolar bone loss; diabetes mellitus; hypertension; obesity; osteoporosis; prevalence.