Patterns of asthma medication use and its association with periodontitis: A nationwide population-based study

With the increasing prevalence of asthma, the association between periodontitis and the increasing use of inhalers deserves attention. This study determines the association between asthma medication administration and periodontitis among Korean adults. In total, 1185 out of 72,751 individuals with asthma from the 2010 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a large healthcare dataset, were analyzed. Frequency analysis and chi-square tests were performed to identify the gender-based status of asthma medication in patients with asthma. The association of asthma medication status with periodontitis was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression analysis, and the gender-based correlation was confirmed through subgroup divisions. Taking asthma medication as needed exhibited an odds ratio (OR) > 1.5 in the overall population (OR = 1.54; 95% confidence interval: 1.03-2.30), and the OR for periodontitis risk among men with asthma was >2. Moreover, in the model controlling for all confounding factors, male patients with asthma who took asthma medication "when necessary" had a 2.10-fold (95% confidence interval = 1.06-4.19) increased prevalence of periodontitis compared to "No" medication controls. This study found a significant association between as-needed asthma medication use and a higher prevalence of periodontitis, particularly among men with asthma.