Osteoporosis and Periodontal Disease

Title: Bone Mineral Density as a Predictor of Periodontitis

Principal Investigator: Jean Wactawski-Wende, PhD

Funding Agency: U.S. Army and NIH/NIDCR

Period: 09/16/96 - 03/15/01, and 04/01/02 - 03/31/07

Abstract: There were two studies conducted to determine the role of bone mineral density and osteoporosis in periodontal disease. The first was a cross-sectional study of bone density and periodontal disease funded by the U.S. Army. That study enrolled over 1,400 postmenopausal women to assess whether osteoporosis was associated with periodontal disease. A follow-up study of the group funded by the NIH/NIDCR entitled "Bone Mineral Density as a Predictor of Periodontitis" was a longitudinal study assessing the role of osteoporosis and bone density in the incidence and progression of periodontal disease.

These studies were ancillary studies to the Women's Health Initiative observational study.