Association between periodontitis and anemia: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Recently, the association between periodontitis and anemia has raised the attention, however there is still a lack of convincing evidence on the association between periodontitis and anemia. This study aimed to examine the association between periodontitis and anemia by analyzing a large population-based nationally representative sample in American. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study utilized data collected from 2009 to 2014 of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Participants who had received periodontal examination and hemoglobin tests were enrolled, and the final sample size was 10,321. Participants were categorized as no, mild, moderate, or severe periodontitis. Associations between periodontitis and anemia were assessed using multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS: Overall, 49.57 % of participants were diagnosed with periodontitis, and 9.09 % had anemia. The prevalence of anemia in moderate periodontitis and severe periodontitis groups was 10.79 % and 11.19 %, respectively, compared to 8.00 % in the non-periodontitis participants. Moderate and severe periodontitis were associated with increased odds of anemia, and the adjusted odds ratios (AORs) were 1.27 (95 % CI: 1.04-1.55) and 1.46 (95 % CI: 1.02-2.10), respectively. Among participants aged 30-49 years old, moderate periodontitis was associated with increased odds of anemia (AOR:1.40, 95 % CI: 1.02-1.93). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicated that the more severe periodontitis was associated with the increased odds of anemia by using a large nationally representative sample, especially for young adults aged 30-49 years. This study advances the understanding of periodontitis systemic implications, highlights the importance of preventing periodontitis progression, while meaningfully broadens the scope of recognized inflammatory conditions associated with anemia.