Body Mass Index as a Predictive Factor of Periodontal Therapy Outcomes

Abstract

Body mass index (BMI) and obesity are associated with the prevalence, extent, and severity of periodontitis. This study investigated the predictive role of overweight/obesity on clinical response following non-surgical periodontal therapy in patients with severe periodontitis. Two hundred sixty adults received an intensive course of non-surgical periodontal therapy. Periodontal status at baseline and 2 months was based upon probing pocket depths (PPD), clinical attachment levels (CAL), and whole-mouth gingival bleeding (FMBS) as assessed by two calibrated examiners. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to estimate the impact of BMI and overweight/obesity on periodontal treatment response while controlling for baseline status, age, smoking status (smoker or non-smoker), and full-mouth dental plaque score. BMI (continuous variable) and obesity (vs. normal weight) were associated with worse mean PPD (p < .005), percentage of PPD > 4 mm (p = .01), but not with FMBS (p > .05) or CAL (p > .05) at 2 months, independent of age, smoking status, or dental plaque levels. The magnitude of this association was similar to that of smoking, which was also linked to a worse clinical periodontal outcome (p < .01). BMI and obesity appear to be independent predictors of poor response following non-surgical periodontal therapy.