Prevalence of Periodontal Disease among Patients at the Outpatient Clinic of Internal Medicine in an Academic Hospital in The Netherlands: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study

There is a worldwide increase in individuals suffering ≥2 chronic diseases (multimorbidity), and the cause of combinations of conditions remains largely unclear. This pilot study analysed the prevalence of periodontal disease (PD) among (multi)-morbid patients at the outpatient clinic of internal medicine. PD is an inflammatory disease of the tooth supporting tissues and has a negative impact on the overall health. Data were obtained from 345 patients, on demographics, systemic conditions and presence of PD. The possible differences in the distribution of PD status among patients with/without multimorbidity and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) disease chapters were explored. In total, 180 (52.2%) patients suffered from multimorbidity. The prevalence of severe PD was 16.2%, while the prevalence of mild and severe PD combined (Total PD) was 53.6%. Patients with disease chapter cardiovascular diseases (CVD) had a significantly higher prevalence of severe PD (odds ratio (OR) 2.33; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25, 4.33) and Total PD (OR 1.61; 95% CI 1.04, 2.50) than patients without CVD. After subsequent analyses, myocardial infarction was significantly associated with severe PD (OR: 4.68 (95% CI; 1.27 to 17.25)). Those suffering from multimorbidity showed to have a non-significant increased risk for severe (OR 1.27; 95% CI 0.69, 2.34) or Total PD (OR 1.23; 95% CI 0.81, 1.88). In conclusion, PD is highly prevalent in multimorbidity patients. Furthermore, PD was significantly prevalent in patients with CVD. However, larger epidemiological studies are necessary to confirm that the prevalence of PD is significantly increased among multimorbid patients.