The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between osteoporosis and periodontal condition in postmenopausal women. Twenty-eight patients who have been treated at Chonnam national university hospital with osteoporosis(osteoporotic group, mean age 62.2±6.6) and 21 normal postmenopausal women with periodontitis(control group, mean age 60.4±3.7) were examined.

Bone mineral density(BMD) of lumbar spine(L2-L4) was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiomemtry(DEXA).

Percentage to peaked bone mass in osteoporotic group was 70.9% which had lower BMD than in control group(p<0.05). The number of present teeth were 23.6 in osteoporotic group and 23.1 in control group, Percentage of bleeding on probing was 41% in osteoporotic group and 37% in control group, probing depth and attachment level were shown 3.18 mm, 3.63 mm in osteoporotic group and 2.85 mm, 3.11 mm in control group, respectively. Probing depth and attachment level were significantly greater in osteoporotic group than in control group(p<0.05). The significant negative correlation was found between BMD level and periodontal attachment level(p<0,001, γ=-0. 56).

These results suggest that osteoporosis may be associated with periodontal breakdown.