Ulcerative colitis and periodontitis - a cross-sectional pilot study from a Norwegian cohort.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease, which includes ulcerative colitis (UC), is an inflammatory disorder with potential impact on periodontal disease, but evidence to date for this association is limited. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of periodontitis according to the 2017-classification in a cohort of subjects with UC. The secondary aim was to assess a potential correlation of periodontal status with previous UC disease parameters and to assess oral health-related quality-of-life.

Method: A cohort from a community hospital in Norway with confirmed extensive UC was comprehensively examined. Periodontal parameters, OHIP-14 and demographic variables were collected. Previous UC data including colon activity index (CAI), Mayo score and years of UC diagnosis was used to explore a potential correlation with periodontal status.

Results: A total of 50 out of 63 invited patients participated. According to the 2017-classification, 74% of the patients presented periodontitis. No correlation was found between periodontitis (stage, grade, bleeding on probing or probing pocket depth ≥6mm) and CAI, Mayo score, or years with UC diagnosis.

Conclusions: Within the limitations of this study, the prevalence of periodontitis among patients with mild UC for more than 12 years was in line with that reported from a Norwegian general population. No correlation between periodontitis and UC disease indices or years with UC diagnosis was observed. The study suggests that the susceptibility to periodontitis may be limited in patients with well treated or mild UD who regularly attend the dental office, despite a considerable UC disease duration.