Long-Term Effects of Exposure to Ionizing Irradiation on Periodontal Health Status - The XXXX Cohort Study.

@entity5 @entity3100 @entity2520
Studies among long-term survivors of childhood @entity5 who had received high-dose irradiation therapy of 4-60   Gy, demonstrated acute and chronic dental effects, including @entity2520 . However, the possible effects of low to moderate doses of radiation on dental health are sparse. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between childhood exposure to low-moderate doses of ionizing radiation and periodontal health following 50   years since exposure. The study population included 253 irradiated subjects (treated for @entity3100 in the 1950s) and, 162 non-irradiated subjects. The estimated dose to the teeth was 0.2-0.4   Gy. Dental examination was performed according to the community periodontal index (CPI). Socioeconomic and health behavior variables were obtained through a personal questionnaire. @entity2520 was operationally defined as "deep periodontal pockets." A multivariate logistic regression model was used for the association of irradiation status and other independent variables with periodontal status. The results showed that among the irradiated subjects, 23%, (95% CI 18-28%) demonstrated complete edentulousness or insufficient teeth for CPI scoring as compared to 13% (95% CI 8-19%) among the non-irradiated subjects (p   =   0.01). @entity2520 was detected among 54% of the irradiated subjects as compared to 40% of the non-irradiated (p   =   0.008). Controlling for education and smoking, the ORs for the association between radiation and periodontal disease were 1.61 (95% CI 1.01-2.57) and 1.95 (95% CI 1.1-3.5) for ever never and per 1   Gy absorbed in the salivary gland, respectively. In line with other studies, a protective effect for @entity2520 among those with high education and an increased risk for ever smokers were observed. In conclusion, childhood exposure to low-moderate doses of ionizing radiation might be associated with later outcomes of dental health. The results add valuable data on the long-term health effects of exposure to ionizing radiation and support the implementation of the ALARA principle in childhood exposure to diagnostic procedure involving radiation.
