Periodontal Disease and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Shared Mechanisms, Clinical Implications, and Future Research Directions
This review explores the emerging relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and periodontal disease (PD), emphasizing shared inflammatory pathways, overlapping risk factors, and potential systemic health implications. Both conditions are characterized by chronic inflammation and oxidative s...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/2/542 |
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| author | Serena Incerti Parenti Claudio Cesari Veronica Della Godenza Matteo Zanarini Francesca Zangari Giulio Alessandri Bonetti |
| author_facet | Serena Incerti Parenti Claudio Cesari Veronica Della Godenza Matteo Zanarini Francesca Zangari Giulio Alessandri Bonetti |
| author_sort | Serena Incerti Parenti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This review explores the emerging relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and periodontal disease (PD), emphasizing shared inflammatory pathways, overlapping risk factors, and potential systemic health implications. Both conditions are characterized by chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, which independently contribute to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other systemic disorders. Evidence suggests a bidirectional relationship, with OSA-related hypoxia exacerbating periodontal tissue breakdown and PD-induced inflammation potentially influencing OSA severity. However, the causative nature of the relationship between OSA and PD remains uncertain, largely due to inconsistencies in diagnostic criteria, methodological variability, and study heterogeneity. This review highlights the essential role of systematic reviews (SRs) in synthesizing current evidence, identifying research gaps, and guiding future studies. To maximize their impact, SRs should adhere to rigorous methodological quality standards, improve transparency in data reporting, and address the heterogeneity of included studies. Future research should focus on longitudinal and interventional designs, standardize diagnostic protocols, and investigate biomarkers, oral microbiome profiles, and inflammatory mediators to elucidate the mechanisms linking OSA and PD. Multidisciplinary collaboration between dental and sleep specialists is crucial to advancing evidence-based strategies that improve patient outcomes and address the broader health implications of these often coexisting conditions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7b133320a28940d1ba871cd68c4d1b2e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-7b133320a28940d1ba871cd68c4d1b2e2025-01-24T13:19:46ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-01-0115254210.3390/app15020542Periodontal Disease and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Shared Mechanisms, Clinical Implications, and Future Research DirectionsSerena Incerti Parenti0Claudio Cesari1Veronica Della Godenza2Matteo Zanarini3Francesca Zangari4Giulio Alessandri Bonetti5Unit of Orthodontics and Sleep Dentistry, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, via San Vitale 59, 40125 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, University Vita e Salute San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, ItalyUnit of Orthodontics and Sleep Dentistry, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, via San Vitale 59, 40125 Bologna, ItalyUnit of Orthodontics and Sleep Dentistry, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, via San Vitale 59, 40125 Bologna, ItalyAUSL Romagna, 48121 Ravenna, ItalyUnit of Orthodontics and Sleep Dentistry, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, via San Vitale 59, 40125 Bologna, ItalyThis review explores the emerging relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and periodontal disease (PD), emphasizing shared inflammatory pathways, overlapping risk factors, and potential systemic health implications. Both conditions are characterized by chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, which independently contribute to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other systemic disorders. Evidence suggests a bidirectional relationship, with OSA-related hypoxia exacerbating periodontal tissue breakdown and PD-induced inflammation potentially influencing OSA severity. However, the causative nature of the relationship between OSA and PD remains uncertain, largely due to inconsistencies in diagnostic criteria, methodological variability, and study heterogeneity. This review highlights the essential role of systematic reviews (SRs) in synthesizing current evidence, identifying research gaps, and guiding future studies. To maximize their impact, SRs should adhere to rigorous methodological quality standards, improve transparency in data reporting, and address the heterogeneity of included studies. Future research should focus on longitudinal and interventional designs, standardize diagnostic protocols, and investigate biomarkers, oral microbiome profiles, and inflammatory mediators to elucidate the mechanisms linking OSA and PD. Multidisciplinary collaboration between dental and sleep specialists is crucial to advancing evidence-based strategies that improve patient outcomes and address the broader health implications of these often coexisting conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/2/542sleep-disordered breathingobstructive sleep apneaperiodontitisperiodontal diseasechronic diseases |
| spellingShingle | Serena Incerti Parenti Claudio Cesari Veronica Della Godenza Matteo Zanarini Francesca Zangari Giulio Alessandri Bonetti Periodontal Disease and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Shared Mechanisms, Clinical Implications, and Future Research Directions Applied Sciences sleep-disordered breathing obstructive sleep apnea periodontitis periodontal disease chronic diseases |
| title | Periodontal Disease and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Shared Mechanisms, Clinical Implications, and Future Research Directions |
| title_full | Periodontal Disease and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Shared Mechanisms, Clinical Implications, and Future Research Directions |
| title_fullStr | Periodontal Disease and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Shared Mechanisms, Clinical Implications, and Future Research Directions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Periodontal Disease and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Shared Mechanisms, Clinical Implications, and Future Research Directions |
| title_short | Periodontal Disease and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Shared Mechanisms, Clinical Implications, and Future Research Directions |
| title_sort | periodontal disease and obstructive sleep apnea shared mechanisms clinical implications and future research directions |
| topic | sleep-disordered breathing obstructive sleep apnea periodontitis periodontal disease chronic diseases |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/2/542 |
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