Shift work sleep disorder is closely associated with an increased risk for periodontal disease

Abstract Aim This study aimed to investigate the association between work patterns and periodontal disease. Materials and methods Data were collected from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2007 and 2012, and data from 22,508 subjects aged ≥19 years were included. An individual's work pattern was classified as either daytime or shift work. Sleep duration was categorized into three ranges: ≤5, 6–8, and ≥9 h/day. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for CPI (Community Periodontal Index) ≥3. The CONTRAST statement was used to show the interaction effect of work patterns and sleep duration. Results The adjusted OR of shift work was 2.168 (CI: 1.929–2.438, p < .0001). Participants who sleep ≤5 or ≥9 h/day showed ORs 0.735 and 0.663, respectively ( p = .0181). Interaction effect analysis revealed that the work pattern had a strong influence on periodontal condition when combined with the sleep amount. Shift workers with ≤5 or ≥ 9 h of sleep showed significantly increased ORs for CPI ≥3 (2.1406 and 2.3251, respectively, p < .0001). The ORs for daytime workers were comparable to the original values (≤5: 0.7348, p = .0292; ≥9: 0.6633, p = .0428). Conclusion Altered sleep patterns caused by shift work have more influence on periodontal disease than sleep duration.