THE ASSOCIATION OF THE PRESENCE OF PERIODONTOPATHOGENIC BACTERIA WITH GENDER, AGE, SYSTEMIC DISEASES, AND SNORING ANALYZED IN PATIENTS FROM SPLIT-DALMATIA COUNTY

Abstract

Objectives: Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that significantly impacts oral and systemic health. Age, gender, systemic diseases, sleep disordered breathing, and specific periodontopathogenic bacteria are the risk factors for developing periodontal disease. This study aimed to assess the presence of five periodontopathogenic bacteria (Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola) in a sample and analyze their association with variables such as age, gender, systemic disorders, and snoring.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study included 149 adult patients (62 male and 87 female) with clinical symptoms of localized chronic periodontitis. Participants filled out a questionnaire to provide data on their sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and the presence of five periodontopathogenic bacteria in subgingival plaque samples was analyzed with real-time PCR.

Results: Statistically significant results were obtained regarding the association between age and periodontopathogenic bacteria. Positive results for Porphyromonas gingivalis and Tannerella forsythia were associated with ages between 41 and 60, and over 60. For the bacterium Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, the statistical results in the distribution of patients regarding
snoring were borderline significant. More individuals who did not snore had positive results.

Conclusions: Older age had the greatest impact, and the majority of patients positive for the tested bacteria were females.