Low bone mineral density in young individuals is associated with greater gingival inflammation and recession

Most patients with osteoporosis are postmenopausal women or senile people who are deemed to have primary osteoporosis. However, young women, males, and atypical cases need further work up to evaluate the risk factors for secondary osteoporosis. A growing body of literature has accumulated regarding the role of osteoporosis in the onset and progression of periodontal disease and tooth loss. We hypothesized that secondary/idiopathic osteoporosis in young patients will be associated with worse periodontal status. Patients and controls who were seen in the general internal medicine outpatient clinic and who were less than 47 years of age were recruited between December 2005 and June 2011. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Blood samples were obtained for bone turnover markers and secondary causes of low BMD. Periodontal variables were assessed. Forty-five women whose mean age was 33.9 ± 7.7 years were enrolled. The osteoporotic group consisted of 12 patients, the osteopenic group 17 patients, and the control group 16 subjects. Significantly higher gingival recession (GR), gingival bleeding time index, and hence gingival inflammation were noted in patients with secondary osteoporosis compared to healthy subjects. In logistic regression analysis, having osteoporosis was determined as the single risk factor for increased bleeding time (b = 0.871, p = 0.008), while having osteoporosis (b = 0.181, p = 0.001) and age (b = 0.010, p < 0.001) were significant parameters with regard to GR. In conclusion, low BMD in young individuals was associated with greater gingival inflammation and recession when compared to those individuals with normal BMD values.