Awareness, perceptions, and clinical practice approaches of nephrologists toward the periodontal disease–chronic kidney disease association

Aims: Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory condition implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic diseases, including chronic kidney disease (CKD), primarily through low-grade systemic inflammatory pathways. Given the potential impact of periodontal health on CKD progression, this study aims to assess nephrologists’ awareness, attitudes, and clinical practices regarding the association between periodontal disease and CKD. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a structured, literature-based questionnaire distributed via Google Forms to nephrologists. Participation was voluntary, and informed consent was obtained online. The survey included demographic questions and items assessing awareness, attitudes, and clinical practice approaches regarding the interrelationship between periodontal disease and CKD. A total of 144 nephrologists completed the survey. Multivariable binary logistic regression was employed to identify independent predictors of participants' oral health education status.Results: Of the 144 nephrologists surveyed, most were aged 45–54 years, had 11–20 years of experience, and worked in university hospitals following over 100 CKD patients monthly. While general awareness of the oral–renal connection was moderate to high, many participants did not routinely take oral health histories or recognize uremic manifestations. Nonetheless, the majority reported referring patients with oral complaints to dentists. Prior training in oral health and recent dental visits were associated with higher awareness and more positive attitudes. Regression analysis identified age as a significant predictor of prior training, with nephrologists aged 35–44 and 55+ being 7.4 times more likely to have received oral health education (p=0.036).Conclusion: Since age was identified as a significant predictor of prior training, with younger nephrologists being less likely to have received oral health education, targeted interdisciplinary programs focusing on early-career specialists are essential to bridge this knowledge gap. Furthermore, the inverse relationship between educational opinions and prior training emphasizes a strong perceived need for such interventions among untrained professionals.