Number of functional teeth more strongly predicts all-cause mortality than number of present teeth in Japanese older adults.

Kenji Maekawa,Kentaro Igarashi,Takashi Suganuma,Tetsuo Ichikawa,Aya Kimura‐Ono,Kento Umeki,Junko Nakajima,Shuji Ohkawa,Hideo Matsumura,Masanori Fujisawa,Yoshihiro Kugimiya,Yuki Ohara,Hirofumi Yatani,Yoshinori Fujiwara,Yasuhiko Kawai,Shoichi Ishigaki,Ayako Edahiro,Takuo Kuboki,Tomoko Ikeuchi,Masahiro Ryu,Yutaka Watanabe,Yu Taniguchi,Shoji Shinkai,Yasunori Ayukawa,Tomoya Gonda,Hirohiko Hirano,Takeshi Kikutani,Akihiko Kitamura,Yasuhiro Horibe,Junichi Furuya,Kunihiko Tamaki ,Takumi Ogawa

doi:10.1111/ggi.13911

Abstract

AimPrevious studies on the association between intraoral conditions and mortality in community‐dwelling older individuals reported that fewer present teeth (PT) are significant risk factors for mortality. However, how the number of PT relative to the number of functional teeth (FT), including both present and rehabilitated teeth, influences mortality has not been investigated fully. This study examined the impact of the number of FT on mortality among community‐dwelling Japanese older adults.MethodsThis study was a retrospective, observational and population‐based follow‐up study, which examined 1188 older individuals who participated in an annual geriatric health examination from 2009 to 2015. The average follow‐up period was 1697.0 ± 774.5 days. The primary outcome was all‐cause mortality at follow‐up. The numbers of PT and FT of each participant were counted during an oral examination. In addition, demographics, clinical variables, blood nutrient markers, physical functions and perceived masticatory function were measured.ResultsKaplan–Meier analysis, followed by a log‐rank test, revealed that fewer PT (P < 0.001) and FT (P = 0.002) were significantly associated with a reduced survival rate. Cox's proportional hazard analysis indicated that the number of FT, but not the number of PT, was a significant independent mortality risk factor after adjusting for demographics, clinical variables, nutrient markers and physical functioning (P = 0.036, hazard ratio: 2.089).ConclusionsCurrent results suggest that the number of FT more strongly predicts all‐cause mortality than the number of PT among community‐dwelling older adults. Further studies are necessary to consider the confounding of socioeconomic status and disability status. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; ••: ••–••.

Highlights

An increasing number of studies on the association between tooth loss and mortality among community-dwelling older individuals have reported that fewer present teeth (PT) are a significant risk factor for mortality.[1,2] Fewer teeth are linked with nutritional disturbance, which can be improved by increasing the number of functional teeth (FT) by installing rehabilitated teeth.[3]
Current results suggest that the number of FT more strongly predicts allcause mortality than the number of PT among community-dwelling older adults
Significant proportion rate differences were observed in mortality, the number of PT, history of hyperlipidemia, cognitive function and selfperceived chewing ability as main results between two groups

Summary

Introduction

An increasing number of studies on the association between tooth loss and mortality among community-dwelling older individuals have reported that fewer present teeth (PT) are a significant risk factor for mortality.[1,2] Fewer teeth are linked with nutritional disturbance, which can be improved by increasing the number of functional teeth (FT) by installing rehabilitated teeth.[3] prosthodontic treatment could potentially reduce mortality risk, even if the number of PT decreases. This prediction has not been scientifically verified. Results demonstrated that individuals without dentures, and any natural tooth contact between the maxilla and mandible was absent, had a 1.52-fold increase in mortality risk after adjusting for age and gender.[5]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion