According to a recent study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, men in their thirties who had inflamed gums caused by severe periodontal disease were three times more likely to suffer from erection health issues. The study, conducted by researchers at Inonu University, assessed 80 men aged 30 to 40 with erectile dysfunction and a control group of 82 men. The patients had their sexual function assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function and their gum health using the plaque index, bleeding on probing, probing depth, and clinical attachment level.
The study found that 53 percent of the men with erectile dysfunction had inflamed gums compared with 23 percent in the control group. Researchers also examined other factors such as body mass index, age, education level, and household income to adjust the results. After examining these factors, the researchers found that the average age of 36, and that there was no significant differences when it came to body mass index, household income, or education.
Ultimately, the researchers concluded that men with severe periodontal disease were 3.29 times more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than men with healthy gums. Researchers credit the link to the fact that periodontal disease can induce systemic vascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease, which have historically been linked with erectile problems.
Researchers were also quick to stress that they intended this study to only examine periodontal disease and erectile dysfunction. Because risk factors such as smoking and diabetes increase the possibility of erectile dysfunction, men with history of any of these ailments were excluded from the study. The researchers also purposefully picked men between the ages of 30 and 40 to ensure the results weren’t influenced by the effects of aging.
“The result of our study support the theory that periodontal disease is present more often in patients with erectile dysfunction than those without and should be considered as a factor by clinicians treating men with erectile problems,” said lead author Dr. Faith Oguz.
Evan Hopkins is a 24 year old writer operating out of Atlanta, GA. When he isn’t writing, he enjoys reading books, drinking coffee, and folk music.