Frontiers in medicine
Oral health in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: are physicians prepared to integrate it into routine care?
By Siraj RA, Mengash AS, Almulhem MM and 11 others.
Abstract
Background
Poor oral health has been associated with adverse outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), yet its integration into routine COPD care remains poorly understood. This study evaluated physicians' attitudes, confidence, clinical practices, perceived barriers, and factors associated with routine oral health assessment.
Methods
A national cross-sectional survey was conducted among general practitioners, pulmonologists, and critical care physicians practising in Saudi Arabia between October 2025 and April 2026. The questionnaire assessed physicians' attitudes, confidence, oral health practices, and perceived barriers related to oral health in COPD. Composite attitude and confidence scores were calculated by averaging responses across the corresponding Likert-scale items. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with routine oral health assessment.
