Increased Periodontal Attachment Loss in Systemic Sclerosis Patients

Results In unadjusted analyses, patients with SSc had a significant 0.61 mm higher periodontal attachment loss (95 % confidence interval (CI), 0.24 – 0.97; p = 0.002) when compared to controls. In a stepwise logistic regression, including SSc status, age, gender, education, smoking, alcohol consumption and BMI, only SSc status, age, and gender remained significantly associated with periodontitis. Adjusted for age and gender, patients with SSc had 0.52 mm higher periodontal attachment loss compared to controls (95 % CI, 0.16 – 0.88; p = 0.005). The strength of the association of SSc with periodontal attachment loss remained statistically significant after further adjustment for plaque index (0.44 mm; 95 % CI 0.02 – 0.86; p = 0.038) or gingival index (0.61 mm; 95 % CI, 0.24 – 0.97 p = 0.001). Conclusions The study demonstrates higher periodontal clinical attachment loss in SSc patients, which remained significant following adjustment. The study indicates a possible relationship between SSc and periodontitis.