Short- and medium-term exposure to ambient air pollution and periodontal status

We investigated the association between ambient air pollutant exposure and periodontal health using data from 17,271 adults in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2012-2015). Participants' periodontal status was categorized based on their community periodontal index (CPI) scores. Using multiple logistic regression models, we examined the relationship between air pollutant levels and poor periodontal status at various lag periods. After adjusting for potential confounders, PM₁₀ exposure was associated with a poor periodontal status (short-term: 0-1 and 0-2 lag days; medium-term: 0-1 and 0-2 lag months). SO₂ exposure showed similar associations (short-term, 0-2 to 0-7 lag days; medium-term, 0-4 to 0-6 lag months). Only increased medium-term O₃ exposure (0-2 to 0-6 lag months) was associated with a poor periodontal status. NO₂ exposure was inversely associated with poor periodontal status for both short- and medium-term durations.