Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026
07:15
Robust Ligature-Induced Model of Murine Periodontitis for the Evaluation of Oral Neutrophils
Published on: January 21, 2020
Association Between Periodontitis and Respiratory Diseases: A Systematic Umbrella Meta-Analysis
Shahen Hiwa Omer1, Mohammed Khalid Mahmood2, Sarhang Sarwat Gul3,4
1Department of Dentistry, Komar University of Science and Technology, Sulaimani, Iraq.
Oral Diseases
|August 12, 2026
Summary
Periodontitis, a gum disease, is statistically linked to respiratory conditions like COVID-19, COPD, asthma, and pneumonia. While significant, the evidence certainty is low, requiring cautious interpretation of these findings.
Area of Science:
- Oral Health and Respiratory Medicine
- Epidemiology
- Meta-analysis
Background:
- Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the gums and supporting structures of teeth.
- Respiratory diseases, including COVID-19, COPD, asthma, and pneumonia, pose significant global health challenges.
- Understanding potential links between oral health and systemic diseases like respiratory conditions is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct an umbrella meta-analysis evaluating the association between periodontitis and various respiratory diseases.
- To synthesize evidence from existing meta-analyses to determine the strength and consistency of this association.
- To assess the certainty of evidence and identify potential confounding factors.
Main Methods:
- Systematic search and inclusion of meta-analyses reporting odds ratios or mean differences for periodontitis and respiratory disease associations.
- Random-effects meta-analysis to pool effect sizes across studies.
- Publication bias assessment using Egger's test and trim-and-fill methods; GRADE assessment for evidence certainty.
Main Results:
- Fourteen meta-analyses involving over 500,000 participants were analyzed.
- A significant overall association between periodontitis and respiratory diseases was observed (OR 2.45).
- Specific pooled odds ratios indicated associations with COVID-19 (2.75), COPD (1.42), asthma (3.42), and pneumonia (2.73), though heterogeneity was high (I²=82%).
Conclusions:
- The study suggests a statistical association between periodontitis and several respiratory diseases.
- Findings should be interpreted cautiously as exploratory and hypothesis-generating due to high heterogeneity and low certainty of evidence.
- Further research is needed to confirm causality and explore mechanisms, considering potential confounders like smoking for COPD.
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