Evaluating the Association of Oral Health With Quality of Life in Ankylosing Spondylitis Patients: A Case Control Study Publisher



Mohammadi E ; Salesi M ; Shekarchizadeh H ; Salesi N ; Meibodi FR
Source: Razavi International Journal of Medicine Published:2026

Abstract

Background: Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the tissues surrounding the teeth, leading to the destruction of the bone and connective tissue supporting them. The relationship between Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and periodontitis has been an area of debate in recent studies. Objectives: According to the recent conflicting studies that have been conducted on the periodontal indicators of patients bearing AS, some have reported the existence of a relationship, and others have reported the absence of a relationship. Considering that there are few studies related to oral and dental health and its relationship with quality of life in AS patients, and the results of the existing studies are controversial, we investigated this issue in the present study. Methods: This study employed a case-control design. The study participants consisted of 108 individuals, 54 of whom were in the patient group and 54 in the control group, which comprised healthy individuals. The patients were divided into three groups based on the severity of the disease (mild, moderate, severe). The patients were selected from among people referring to dental clinics in Isfahan (Iran) in 2022. Oral health behaviors, clinical attachment loss (CAL), periodontal pocket depth, gingival bleeding on probing, and DMFT index were measured in the studied individuals. Results: The value of the CPI index was significantly higher in people with severe disease compared to those with mild disease (p=0.030) and healthy cases (p < 0.001). The CAL index in individuals with severe disease was significantly higher than in patients with mild disease (p=0.011), moderate disease (p=0.047), and healthy participants (p < 0.001). A significant difference was observed in the comparison of the DMFT index between healthy individuals (16.78 ± 4.03) and case groups with mild (16.17 ± 5.61), moderate (12.94 ± 5.72), and severe (17.67 ± 6.45) disease (p=0.021). Conclusion: AS patients had more serious periodontal conditions than the control group; based on the results, it seems that this serious condition is more tangible in patients with severe disease activity. © 2026 The Authors.