Clinical implication of fasting glucose and systolic/diastolic blood pressure on the prevalence of periodontitis in non-diabetic and non-hypertensive adults using nationally representative data.

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension is increasing worldwide and an association between fasting glucose/blood pressure and periodontitis has been suggested. The present study was performed to assess the association between fasting glucose and systolic/diastolic blood pressure on the prevalence of periodontitis in non-diabetic and non-hypertensive adults using nationally representative data. Subgroup analysis was performed to evaluate the combined effects of obesity/abdominal obesity and impaired fasting glucose. This study involved a cross-sectional analysis using data from the Republic of Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2013 to 2015. A total of 8,341 respondents without diabetes and hypertension over 19 years old without missing values were included in the present study. A significant increase was observed in the prevalence of periodontitis with increasing systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. The percentage of periodontitis increased with increased glucose levels, with similar trends in glycated hemoglobin. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for systolic blood pressure of 90≤x<100, 100≤x<110, 110≤x<120, 120≤x<130 and 130≤x<140 were 1.116 (0.591-2.107), 1.165 (0.624-2.175), 1.238 (0.673-2.278), 1.008 (0.538-1.888) and 1.042 (0.545-1.993), respectively, when systolic blood pressure <90 was considered as a reference. The ORs and 95% CIs for glucose of 90≤x<100, 100≤x<110 and 110≤x<126 were 1.074 (0.92-1.253), 1.214 (0.986-1.494) and 1.358 (1.005-1.834), respectively when glucose <90 was considered as a reference. The association between fasting glucose/blood pressure and periodontitis was confirmed by multiple logistic regression analyses after adjusting for confounding factors among non-diabetic and non-hypertensive Republic of Korean adults. Subgroup analysis revealed that higher ORs of periodontitis were observed in participants with impaired glucose level and obesity when compared with individuals without impaired glucose level or obesity. The results of the present study suggest that detection of fasting glucose and blood pressure may serve as a risk indicator for periodontal disease.