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Bruce A. Dye, DDS, MPH, Deanna Kruszon-Moran, MS and Geraldine McQuillan, PhD

The authors are with the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Md.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Bruce Dye, DDS, MPH, CDC/NCHS, 6525 Belcrest Rd, Room 900, Hyattsville, MD 20782 (e-mail: bfd1{at}cdc.gov).

Objectives. We investigated the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and abnormal periodontal conditions.

Methods. Data from the first phase of the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. A total of 4504 participants aged 20 to 59 years who completed a periodontal examination and tested positive for H. pylori antibodies were examined.

Results. Periodontal pockets with a depth of 5 mm or more were associated with increased odds of H. pylori seropositivity (odds ratio [OR] = 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.12, 1.94) after adjustment for sociodemographic factors. This association is comparable to the independent effects of poverty on H. pylori (OR = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.10, 2.16).

Conclusions. Poor periodontal health, characterized by advanced periodontal pockets, may be associated with H. pylori infection in adults, independent of poverty status.