Association between asthma and severe tooth loss in the adult population of the United States

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to investigate the association between asthma and severe tooth loss in the U.S. (United States) adult population. Methods Data were analyzed from the national health and nutritional examination survey (NHANES), 2009-2014. Study-participants were classified into current, former, and never asthmatics based on their asthma status. Former-asthmatics were excluded. The case definition of severe tooth loss (outcome variable) was having 9 or fewer remaining permanent teeth. Characteristics of our study-sample were identified based on the descriptive statistical analyses. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association between asthma and severe tooth. Multivariable models were constructed to control for the known common clinical, demographic, and lifestyle factors. Each analysis accounted for the examination sample weights and the complex clustered design of the continuous NHANES. Results Total study-participants were 14,184 representing ≈185.77 million U.S. adults. Prevalence of asthma was 8.99% in our study-sample, and 8.78% had severe tooth loss. Current-asthmatic adults had 34% higher odds of severe tooth loss as compared to their reference group of never-asthmatics adults in the U.S. after controlling for age, race or ethnicity, gender, diabetes, smoking, body mass index, education, and family income-to-poverty ratio. Conclusion In the United States, as compared to never-asthmatic adults, current-asthmatic adults were more likely to have severe tooth-loss. Oral health promotion is therefore recommended through medical-dental integration to ensure overall health for asthmatic adults.