A Case-Control Study on Risk Predictors Associated with Periodontitis in Systemically Healthy Patients; a Regression Analysis

Abstract

Aim: This case-control study was conducted to analyze the association of periodontitis with risk predictors i.e. age, gender, education status, brushing habits and past dental visits in systemically healthy patients. Materials and Methods: The study included total of 1097 systemically healthy, non-tobacco using patients with age ≥ 18 years that reported to periodontology department from year 2018. The demographic details and dental care pattern of the patients were extracted from the records of periodontology department, and their frequencies were formulated. The association of five study variables i.e. age, gender, education status, brushing habits and past dental visits was assessed using forward step-wise logistic regression analysis. Results: Total of 471(42.9%) patients were diagnosed with periodontitis. Higher frequency of periodontitis was observed in patients who were male and ≥ 50 years of age. Regression analysis showed that the subjects with < 50 years of age, ≥ 12 years of education, regular brushing habits and regular past dental visits had greater odds of being safe from periodontitis. Conclusion: Since the population chosen for this research was systemically healthy, non-tobacco using individuals, a high prevalence (42.9%) of periodontitis was observed indicating the need to analyze the factors other than systemic conditions contributing in prevalence of periodontitis. Furthermore, a positive association between study variables and periodontitis was observed in this research, which will help the clinicians in prediction of periodontitis in systemically healthy, non-tobacco using individuals.