Is weight gain associated with the incidence of periodontitis? A systematic review and meta-analysis

This summary is based on the article published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology: Is weight gain associated with the incidence of periodontitis? A systematic review and meta-analysis (June 2015)

Gustavo G. Nascimento, Fabio R.M. Leite, Loc G. Do, Karen G. Peres, Marcos B. Correa, Flavio F. Demarco and Marco A. Peres

Context

• When an unbalance between calorific intake and energy expenditure occurs, the body may excessively accumulate fat leading to overweight and further to obesity (Martinez et al. 2014).
• Several reports have demonstrated the adverse effects of obesity on chronic health outcomes, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases and cancer (Falagas & Kompoti 2006, Kahn et al. 2006, Van Gaal et al. 2006, Friedman 2009).
• Amongst the most prevalent chronic diseases, periodontitis is a destructive condition affecting the supporting structures of the teeth, which develops through an inflammatory process mainly induced by the presence of a microbial biofilm (Van Dyke & van Winkelhoff 2013).

Purpose of the Review

To conduct a systematic review assessing the effects of weight gain on the incidence of periodontitis in adults.

Key Findings

• Findings demonstrated that individuals who became overweight or obese presented higher risk to develop new cases of periodontitis than those who stayed normal weight in the same period.
• Given that both conditions, obesity/ overweight and periodontitis, are chronic diseases, it is expected that they share common risk factors, such as low socioeconomic position (Thomson et al. 2012, Adair et al. 2013).
• As subjects from a disadvantaged background present higher prevalence rates of obesity and overweight (Adair et al. 2013) and periodontitis, a consistent social pattern is observed.
• Clinicians should be aware of the role played by weight gain on the development of new cases of periodontitis, as it seems to be a risk factor for the establishment of such condition.

References

List of references (PDF)