Oral health in Behçet's disease and its association with disease severity: cross-sectional and case-control study

Abstract

Background: Behçet's disease is a chronic autoimmune disorder that affects various organs, including oral aphte, genital ulceration, cutaneous manifestation, ocular involvement, and positive pathergy test according to International Study Group for Behçet’s Disease criteria. This study aimed to investigate the oral health condition of patients with Behçet's disease and to assess how it correlates with the patients' gender, clinical symptoms, and severity of the disease. Methods: A total of 92 participants, including 42 patients with Behçet's disease and 50 healthy controls, were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The periodontal indices were measured and compared between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify potential risk factors for disease severity. Results: This study assessed the periodontal health of patients with Behçet's disease and found that they had significantly higher plaque, gingival, bleeding, and probing depth scores compared to healthy controls (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that plaque accumulation was a significant risk factor for higher severity scores in Behçet's disease. Gender-specific approaches may be necessary in the management and treatment of periodontal disease in Behçet's disease patients. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that patients with Behçet's disease are at increased risk for periodontal disease and its associated symptoms. Specifically, plaque accumulation appears to be a significant risk factor for more severe periodontal health issues in these patients. Therefore, it is important for clinicians to be aware of this increased risk and to develop tailored treatment plans that address both the underlying Behçet's disease and the associated periodontal disease.