Oral Health in Patients with Psoriasis-A Prospective Study

Psoriasis is associated with periodontitis, a chronic inflammation of the gingival tissue. However, data about periodontal and dental status of psoriasis patients are sparse. Therefore, we conducted a prospective study comparing psoriasis patients with control individuals. 100 psoriasis patients presenting at the outpatient service of a specialized psoriasis center and 101 nonpsoriatic control individuals were included in the study. Oral health was assessed with standardized measures including Bleeding on Probing, Community Periodontal Index, and dental parameters according to the DMFT index (a cumulative index in which teeth [T] are registered as decayed [D], missing [M], and filled [F]). For analysis, a postmatching strategy was applied with 53 pairs of psoriasis patients and nonpsoriatic individuals in which relevant factors with possible impact on oral health status were considered. Logistic regression analyses were executed on the entire psoriasis and control population. According to the results, the matched psoriasis group had significantly higher values on Bleeding on Probing and the Community Periodontal Index compared with matched control individuals. Logistic regression analyses identified significant correlations of the psoriasis group with high Bleeding on Probing and Community Periodontal Index values but not, however, with missing teeth. Psoriasis patients had significantly higher values for parameters addressing periodontal inflammation. Psoriasis management should, therefore, include regular dental checks on periodontal status and respective treatment where required.