Association between sleep-disordered breathing and periodontitis: a meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Oral Health
• Sleep Medicine
• Systemic Inflammation

Background:

• Systemic inflammation is a common factor in both sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and periodontitis.
• Previous studies on the SDB-periodontitis association have yielded inconsistent results.
• This meta-analysis aimed to comprehensively evaluate the relationship between SDB and periodontitis.

Approach:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across major databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Wanfang, CNKI).
• Included studies required objective polysomnography for SDB diagnosis.
• A random-effects model was employed to analyze data from 10 observational studies involving 43,296 participants.

Key Points:

• The meta-analysis revealed a significant association between SDB and periodontitis (OR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.52–2.20).
• Consistent associations were observed across sensitivity and subgroup analyses, including for severe periodontitis and varying SDB severity.
• The link between SDB and periodontitis was robust across different study designs, geographic regions, and analytical methods.

Conclusions:

• Polysomnography-confirmed diagnosis of sleep-disordered breathing is associated with periodontitis in the adult population.
• This finding underscores the potential bidirectional relationship between sleep health and oral health.
• Further research may explore the underlying mechanisms connecting SDB and periodontal disease.