Resumo

MACHADO, Eduardo; ZANATTA, Gustavo Batistin; ASSIS, Camila de Azevedo de  e  ZANATTA, Fabrício Batistin. Obesity as a risk factor for periodontitis: is that possible?. RGO, Rev. gaúch. odontol. (Online) [online]. 2011, vol.59, suppl.1, pp. 45-50. ISSN 1981-8637.

The periodontitis are infectious- inflammatory diseases that have agent triggering the process of tissue destruction from entering the biofilm by acting on a susceptible host. The beginning and progression can be modified by the biological, environmental and/or behavior risk factors. The study of risk factors for periodontal diseases has received great emphasis on Periodontics and has been an important basis for preventive and therapeutic approaches to both individual and collective. In this context obesity comes as a possible modifying factor of the course of periodontitis. The plausibility of association is based on the immunological changes due to the accumulation of adiposity on the tissues. Recent epidemiological studies show this association. However, there is still a long way, within a context of Dentistry based on scientific evidence, to be run through randomized controlled clinical trials based on representative samples and long follow-up time, in order to investigate if the association is cause or occasional.

Palavras-chave : Risk factor.; Obesity.; Periodontitis..