ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PERIODONTITIS AND ITS INFLAMMATION WITH CARDIOVASCULAR, RESPIRATORY, AND POST-COVID CONDITIONS

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the demographic profile, comorbidity burden, and systemic associations of chronic periodontitis with cardiovascular, respiratory, and post-COVID conditions in comparison with healthy controls. Methods: A case–control study was conducted among 130 participants, comprising 100 patients with clinically diagnosed chronic periodontitis and 30 periodontally healthy controls. Data on sociodemographic variables, periodontal parameters, and systemic conditions were collected through structured clinical and laboratory assessments. Statistical analyses included independent t-tests for continuous variables and Chi-square tests for categorical variables. Results: Cases and controls were comparable in age and gender distribution (p>0.05), though patients with periodontitis more often belonged to lower socioeconomic and educational strata (p