Obstructive sleep apnea and periodontitis: A cross-sectional study.

Objectives: (1) To assess the risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) using a pre-designed questionnaire; (2) To assess the periodontal parameters like pocket probing depth (PPD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL) in the study subjects and (3) To determine the association between the shared risk factors of OSA and periodontitis.

Background Of The Study: Periodontitis is a microbially associated, host-mediated inflammatory disease that results in the loss of periodontal attachment. It has multifactorial etiology and has been linked to an array of systemic diseases. Though both periodontitis and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) share some common risk factors, the insight into the hypothetical speculative link remains vague. This study intended to probe into the association between periodontitis and OSA.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 250 subjects. The subjects were explained the nature of the study and written informed consent was obtained for participation in the study. The patients were administered a STOP-BANG questionnaire following which the periodontal parameters were recorded. The data obtained was analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: A statistically significant increase in PPD and CAL scores were seen with the increase in OSA scores. A significant moderate positive correlation was found between OSA scores and PPD [r = 0.58, P < 0.001] and CAL [r = 0.55, P = 0.001]. Males were at increased risk for OSA and periodontitis. Age, hypertension and BMI which are the risk factors for periodontitis were also significantly higher in subjects at high risk for OSA.

Conclusion: This study found a moderate positive association between periodontitis and OSA.