Prevalence of Systemic Diseases Among Libyan Adult Dental Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Systemic diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases are strongly associated with several oral conditions, which can ultimately lead to tooth loss and significantly affect quality of life. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of systemic diseases among edentulous patients attending dental clinics in eastern Libyan cities. Data were collected from September 2024 to January 2025 using a structured questionnaire completed by dentists before clinical examinations, involving 500 participants. More than one-third of the patients (42%) reported having at least one systemic condition, with hypertension (16.60%) and diabetes mellitus (14.20%) being the most common. Dental caries was the leading cause of tooth loss (62.20%), followed by periodontitis (24.20%) and trauma (3.40%). Despite the high prevalence of tooth loss, only 28.38% of patients used any type of prosthesis, with removable partial dentures being the most common. These findings indicate that systemic diseases, especially hypertension and diabetes, are common among dental patients, while awareness of their impact on oral health remains low. The results highlight the importance of improving prevention, patient education, and integrating oral and general healthcare.