Gum disease (also called periodontitis) is a long-term condition that damages the tissues and bone supporting the teeth. Poor bone quality may be associated with an increased risk of gum disease progression. Bone quality can be measured using the trabecular bone score (TBS), which reflects the structural characteristics of bone rather than bone density. This study followed 617 Thai adults over 5 years to assess the link between bone quality and worsening gum disease. Disease progression was defined as a major loss of tooth support or the loss of a tooth that was already severely affected. Individuals with poor bone quality (degraded TBS) had, on average, one additional tooth with disease progression compared with those with normal bone quality. Among women after menopause, about two additional teeth were affected, and these women were nearly twice as likely to have more teeth with worsening gum disease. These findings suggest an association between decreased skeletal bone quality and a higher risk of gum disease. Early detection of weak bone quality, combined with proper oral care, may help to slow disease progression and to improve quality of life.
Malakam et al. (Mon,) studied this question.