Chronic periodontitis, a disease of infectious origin that affects the supporting tissue of the teeth, would be associated with erectile dysfunction by biochemical markers.
At first sight, it seems strange to associate erectile dysfunction and chronic periodontitis. However, this is the conclusion of a new study published on Online Library. As a reminder, chronic periodontitis is a disease that causes the destruction of the periodontium, the supporting tissue of the tooth, by bacteria that have accumulated on the tooth or the gum. It is a slow disease that takes several years to take effect. Erectile dysfunction is the inability to achieve or maintain satisfactory sexual intercourse in men.
To discover the link between these two pathologies, the researchers conducted a case-control study (that is, an observational statistical study, which serves to highlight the factors that may contribute to the appearance of a pathology) on 158 male patients. Among them were 80 cases of erectile dysfunction according to the International Index of Erectile Function, and 78 controls. Socio-demographic data were collected and a periodontal examination was performed. Testosterone, lipid profile, C-reactive protein and glycemic parameters were assessed. All variables were compared between groups and multivariate logistic regression analyzes were performed.
Amazing results
Chronic periodontitis was diagnosed in 74% of cases of erectile dysfunction. Triglycerides, C-reactive protein and glycosylated hemoglobin were also higher in these patients. After analyzing the numbers, it appeared that patients with chronic periodontitis were more likely to have erectile dysfunction, but also that men with this disorder had a worsening of their periodontal condition. According to the findings, “Chronic periodontitis appears to play a key role as a risk factor in the pathogenesis of erectile dysfunction independent of other morbidities.”
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