Periodontal Status of Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis

ABSTRACT Introduction Osteoporosis a common metabolic disorder in postmenopausal women, with characteristic loss of bone mass, is associated with periodontitis and tooth loss according to the vast accumulating evidence. This association needs further perusal which was addressed in the following study. Materials and methods The study subjects were postmenopausal women (No:104) in the age group of 35 to 60 years. Diagnosis of osteoporosis was by standard tests like clinical, radiographic tests and or bone densitometry. Case history of subjects (i.e. dental, personal, medical and menopausal) was elicited verbally and periodontal examination was carried out. Estrogen (17-β estradiol) and calcium assays were measured in 20 of these patients. Results All subjects completed their periodontal and radiographic examination. Indices to measure local factors were accompanied by increase in clinical parameters for periodontitis. Alveolar bone loss visible radiographically correlated with clinical indices and clinical attachment loss. Hormonal assays, i.e. serum 17-β. Estradiol and calcium were found to be below normal for examined cases. Majority of patients had periodontitis, half being localized and the remaining generalized. Conclusion Mandibular cortex showed osteoporosis in most of the cases. Tooth loss was not an apparent finding. Osteoporosis did not show an association with periodontitis as much as the local environment. Thus, it could be concluded that osteoporosis may not be an important risk factor for periodontitis and oral bone loss.