The association of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis with periodontitis: A hospital-based case-control study

Background Periodontitis can trigger and perpetuate inflammation in several chronic inflammatory diseases. The association of periodontitis with psoriasis has been investigated earlier, but data are incomplete and the influence of confounders has not been fully evaluated. We examined the relationship of dental and periodontal health parameters in patients with psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis. Methods This hospital-based cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis or both, and compared with controls. Dental and periodontal health parameters were assessed based on the WHO oral health assessment method. Multivariate logistic regression was done on variables with significant or near-significant values to find the association between periodontitis and psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis after adjusting for confounders. Results Psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis were independently and significantly associated with periodontal pockets ≥4 mm in depth. Limitations Causality and temporal relationship cannot be established as this was a cross-sectional study. As in all observational studies, the possibility of unmeasured or unknown confounders exists. Psoriatic arthritis was present only in a small subset of patients. Conclusion Patients with psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis have significant periodontal inflammation. This needs to be addressed by dental examination and intervention.