Total number of participants (N=218).

BackgroundPeriodontitis is a multifactorial chronic inflammatory disease primarily caused by bacterial plaque, but may be affected by the host immune response, diabetes, inadequate nutrition, smoking and stress.The systemic implications of periodontitis, particularly its associations with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and respiratory infections, highlight the importance of medical students acquiring in-depth insight into this condition. This knowledge is essential for promoting both oral and general health in the public.ObjectiveTo assess the awareness of periodontitis and its relationship with systemic health among undergraduate medical students at a teaching hospital in Nepal.Materials and methodsA structured self-administered questionnaire was used to assess awareness of periodontitis and its relationship with systemic health. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 3rd-, 4th-, and final-year medical students and interns at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, from January 2024 to March 2024. The data were analyzed via descriptive statistics in SPSS version 27.ResultsA total of 218 participants were included in the study with a mean age of 24.03 ± 1.85 years. The majority (76.1%) of the students were male. Approximately 95.9% (209) of the participants had heard of term periodontitis. The majority of participants identified bad breath (83.5%), gum recession (78.4%), bleeding gums (85.3%), and loose teeth (71.1%) as symptoms of periodontitis, with more than 80% correctly recognizing gum recession in all groups except for 3rd-year students (52.8%). The majority of the students were aware of the risk factors associated with periodontitis.ConclusionThere was a notable gap in the recognition of symptoms, risk factors, and systemic links related to periodontitis among 3rd year students compared with 4th year, final year students and interns. This highlights the need for improved education on the topic among 3rd and 4th year medical students.

背景
牙周炎（periodontitis）是一类多因素慢性炎症性疾病，主要致病因素为牙菌斑，同时可受宿主免疫应答、糖尿病、营养摄入不足、吸烟及应激状态影响。牙周炎的全身影响，尤其是其与心血管疾病、糖尿病、呼吸道感染的关联，凸显了医学生深入掌握该疾病相关知识的必要性。此类知识对于推进公众口腔健康与全身健康协同发展均具有重要意义。
目的
评估尼泊尔某教学医院在校医学生对牙周炎及其与全身健康关联的认知水平。
材料与方法
本研究为横断面研究，于2024年1月至3月在尼泊尔德哈兰市BP柯伊拉腊健康科学学院开展，研究对象为该校三年级、四年级、毕业班医学生及实习医师。采用结构化自填式问卷评估参与者对牙周炎及其与全身健康关联的认知水平，数据采用SPSS 27统计软件进行描述性统计分析。
结果
本研究共纳入218名参与者，平均年龄为24.03±1.85岁，其中76.1%为男性。约95.9%（209名）的参与者知晓“牙周炎”这一术语。多数参与者将口臭（83.5%）、牙龈退缩（78.4%）、牙龈出血（85.3%）及牙齿松动（71.1%）认定为牙周炎的典型临床症状；除三年级学生（52.8%）外，其余各组均有超过80%的参与者正确识别牙龈退缩这一症状。多数学生知晓牙周炎相关危险因素。
结论
相较于四年级、毕业班医学生及实习医师，三年级医学生在牙周炎相关症状、危险因素及全身关联认知层面存在显著缺口。这凸显了针对三年级、四年级医学生加强该主题专项教育的迫切性。