"If You Have Gum Disease, Risk of Skin Disorders Increases by 11%"

'15th Gum Day' Commemoration Ceremony
Co-hosted by the Korean Academy of Periodontology and Dongkook Pharmaceutical

"Smoking Increases Psoriasis Risk by 26.5%"

A study has found that having gum disease may increase the likelihood of developing skin conditions such as psoriasis.

Ke Seung-beom, President of the Korean Academy of Periodontology (center back), and actor Choi Bul-am, ambassador for Gum Day (center front), are taking a commemorative photo with models to celebrate the 15th Gum Day.
[Photo by Dongkook Pharmaceutical]

The Korean Academy of Periodontology and Dongkook Pharmaceutical held the "15th Gum Day" event on the morning of the 23rd at the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, where they announced these research findings. They also emphasized the importance of environmental factors such as smoking, drinking, and poor dietary habits in preventing gum disease.

Professors Park Junbeom from Seoul St. Mary's Hospital's Department of Periodontology and Lee Jihyun from the Department of Dermatology presented joint research showing a correlation between periodontal status and the occurrence of skin diseases like psoriasis. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that appears on the scalp, face, and other areas, affecting about 0.5% to 1% of the total population in Korea.

This study utilized National Health Insurance health screening data to track approximately 8.6 million people without periodontal disease and about 1 million people with periodontal disease from January to December 2009, following the incidence of psoriasis skin disease over nine years. The results showed that having periodontal disease increased the risk of developing psoriasis by 11%. For those who also smoked, the risk of developing psoriasis increased by 26.5%.

The research team explained that this study demonstrates periodontal disease can act as a potential risk factor for skin diseases such as psoriasis. Professor Park stated, "Gum disease and periodontal disease share similar immune-mediated mechanisms with skin diseases like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, allowing them to influence each other." He added, "This study is significant because it analyzed the impact of gum disease on psoriasis in a large population. Proper gum care can reduce the risk of various systemic diseases, including skin conditions."

The relatively high incidence of periodontal disease in Korea also highlights the importance of gum care. Professor Park explained, "Periodontal disease is more common than the common cold in Korea," adding, "Since 2020, it has ranked first as the most frequently occurring disease, surpassing the common cold for two consecutive years."

Professor Park Jun-beom of the Department of Periodontology at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital is giving a presentation at the 15th Gum Day event held at the Korea Press Center on the morning of the 23rd.
[Photo by Dongkook Pharmaceutical]

The second presenter, Professor Cho Youngdan from Seoul National University Dental Hospital's Department of Periodontology, discussed "Gum Disease and Skin Diseases from an Epigenetic Perspective," explaining the relationship between gum disease and periodontal disease in relation to environmental factors. Epigenetics refers to changes in gene function without alterations in the DNA sequence.

Professor Cho noted that both periodontal and skin diseases share common environmental factors such as smoking, drinking, and poor dietary habits from this perspective. Differences in environmental factors can cause variations in cellular and immune responses, leading to individual differences in disease manifestation. He emphasized that smoking can easily trigger or worsen inflammation, so regular scaling and oral examinations are necessary for gum health.

The final presenter, Professor Kim Sungtae from Seoul National University Dental Hospital's Department of Periodontology, suggested policy support such as expanding insurance coverage for annual scaling to those aged 15 and older and providing twice-yearly scaling coverage for those aged 40 and above.

Ke Seungbeom, president of the Korean Academy of Periodontology, said, "This year, we again examined the relationship between gum disease and systemic diseases and conveyed that skin diseases, which significantly reduce quality of life, can be reduced through active gum care." He added, "Through public campaigns, we will strive to provide practical help for the public's gum health management by proposing policies and suggesting lifestyle habits such as the '3.2.4 rule.' The 3.2.4 rule means brushing teeth at least three times a day, scaling twice a year, and using interdental brushes in between."

Song Junho, CEO of Dongkook Pharmaceutical, stated, "Gum Day is a meaningful campaign that helps more people understand the importance of gum care through various studies revealing the relationship between gum disease and various systemic diseases." He added, "We will continue to work together to ensure Gum Day raises public awareness about gum disease and encourages actions for gum disease management."

The Korean Academy of Periodontology and Dongkook Pharmaceutical have designated March 24th as Gum Day every year and conduct campaigns to raise public awareness about the importance of gum health. This year marks the 15th anniversary since the first Gum Day in 2009.