Relation between periodontal diseases and chronic liver disease

Chronic liver diseases especially cirrhosis may cause different complications in patients, such as periodontal disease. The purpose of the present case – control study was to examine the effect of chronic liver diseases on the periodontium. Methods & Materials: The experimental group consisted of 60 patients with diagnosed chronic liver disease. 60 systemically healthy subjects formed the control group. Age, gender, level of education, socio – economic level and cigarette smoking were not statistically different between the two study groups. (P>0.05) The Ramfjord index teeth were recorded for plaque index (PI), clinical attachment loss (CAL), and gingival bleeding (GB). CAL in the test group was significantly greater than the control group (P<0.05) which showed that the hepatic patients were 3.3 times more at risk of moderate to severe attachment loss than the healthy subjects (Odds ratio = 3.3), however, mean PI and GB were not statistically different between the study groups (P>0.05). Patients with chronic liver disease demonstrated more CAL than the healthy subjects with the same PI and GB. Thus liver disease might be assumed as a risk factor for periodontal diseases.