Periodontitis Is Associated With Poor Blood Pressure Control in Treated Hypertensive Individuals

To investigate the association between baseline periodontitis and uncontrolled hypertension across two cohort waves.

Periodontitis severity was assessed using a categorical variable (non-severe, localised severe and generalised severe) and continuous measures, including mean probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL). The primary outcome was uncontrolled hypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 90 mmHg. Secondary outcomes were uncontrolled SBP and DBP analysed separately. Mixed-effects logistic regression was applied to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between periodontitis and blood pressure outcomes, with adjustment for potential confounders.

The study included 417 treated hypertensive participants, aged 53-73 years. Individuals with localised or generalised severe periodontitis were more likely to have uncontrolled hypertension than those with non-severe disease (OR 1.56, 95% CI: 1.01-2.41 and OR 1.74, 95% CI: 1.13-2.69, respectively). When SBP and DBP were examined separately, severe periodontitis was significantly associated with uncontrolled SBP but not DBP. Similar findings were observed for mean PD and CAL.

Severe periodontitis was associated with poorer blood pressure control in treated hypertensive individuals, particularly through an increased likelihood of uncontrolled SBP.