Marked inflammation of the gingivae is associated with periodontal disease and unintentional weight loss in older adults, according to an article in the April issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
To determine the association between periodontal disease and weight loss of at least 5 percent in an elderly cohort over a two-year period, researchers studied 1,053 participants in the Health, Aging and Body Composition cohort study. Participants were aged 65 years or older, ambulatory and community-dwelling at baseline.
Researchers measured the participants’ mean pocket depth and attachment loss, percentage of pockets with at least 6 millimeters probing depth, extent of bleeding on probing and tissue inflammation to determine the presence of periodontal disease.
After adjusting for variables that could explain weight loss, researchers found that the percentage of periodontal pockets with at least a 6-mm probing depth showed a significant association with weight loss.
They concluded that periodontal disease may be causally related to weight loss in the elderly and thus may increase risk of morbidity and mortality.
