Genetic polymorphisms in the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene are associated with bone homeostasis and diseases characterized by bone loss. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between the IL-6 -572C/G polymorphism and the risk of chronic periodontitis in a Chinese Han population. The IL-6 -572C/G polymorphism was genotyped in 93 patients suffering from chronic periodontitis and 96 control subjects by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of patients and control subjects and amplified using a polymerase chain reaction. IL-6 genotypes were identified using gel electrophoresis. The IL-6 -572 GG genotype and the G allele were more frequent in chronic periodontitis patients than in control subjects (P .05). When compared with the CC genotype, the odds ratio for chronic periodontitis was 1.88 (95% confidence interval, 1.04 to 3.40; P .05) for the CG + GG genotype. The frequency of the -572CG + GG genotype was significantly different between the control group and the group with chronic periodontitis. Therefore, the IL-6 -572C/G polymorphism may contribute to the susceptibility to chronic periodontitis in the Chinese Han population.