Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is an inflammatory condition with impaired lung function, which traps air in the lungs and slowly breaks down the lung tissue. This condition gradually worsens over time. Since a growing part of the population is getting older, it is expected that the number of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease will increase.

 

Periodontitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases have common risk factors, such as smoking, increasing age, obesity and low socioeconomic status. Some studies have shown a positive association between the diseases.

 

Different pathways for the association have been discussed and include circulating inflammation and aspiration of oral pathogens into the lungs.

 

Periodontal treatment and good oral hygiene are a benefit for all patients since it reduces the preventable burden of the systemic inflammation associated with periodontal disease.

 

Spiropoulou et al. 2019, Moghadam et al. 2017, Hobbins et al. 2017