Association between Periodontal Disease and Levels of Triglyceride and Total Cholesterol among Korean Adults

Abstract

Although the correlation between periodontal condition and hyperlipidemia was shown by previous researches, it remains disputed. This study was based on data from the seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016-2018. Data included 14,068 subjects' demographic characteristics, total cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, and periodontal conditions. We analyzed the correlation between periodontal disease and blood lipid levels using complex-sample chi square tests and complex-sample logistic regression. The results of chi square tests showed a significant difference in demographic characteristics according to total cholesterol level and triglyceride level. The results of logistic regression, adjusted for the subjects' demographic characteristics such as age, gender, house income, marital status, home ownership, number of persons living together, health insurance coverage, and economic activity, showed that prevalence of periodontal disease was 1.048-fold (confidence interval (CI) 0.827-1.133) higher in the high-total-cholesterol group and 1.499-fold (CI 1.576-1.983) higher in high-triglyceride group. We found that not high total cholesterol but high triglyceride level was connected with periodontal disease. Therefore, management of triglyceride level could be a possible precaution of periodontal disease.

Keywords: dyslipidemia; periodontal disease; total cholesterol; triglyceride.