Diagnostic validity of self-reported oral health outcomes in population surveys: literature review

Is poor oral health a risk marker for incident cardiovascular disease hospitalisation and all-cause mortality? Findings from 172 630 participants from the prospective 45 and Up Study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between oral health and incident hospitalisation for ischaemic heart disease (IHD), heart failure (HF), ischaemic stroke and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and all-cause mortality.

DESIGN

Prospective population-based study of Australian men and women aged 45 years or older, who were recruited to the 45 and Up Study between January 2006 and April 2009; baseline questionnaire data were linked to hospitalisations and deaths up to December 2011. Study exposures include tooth loss and self-rated health of teeth and gums at baseline.

SETTING

New South Wales, Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals aged 45-75 years, excluding those with a history of cancer/cardiovascular disease (CVD) at baseline; n=172 630.

PRIMARY OUTCOMES

Incident hospitalisation for IHD, HF, ischaemic stroke and PVD and all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 3.9 years, 3239 incident hospitalisations for IHD, 212 for HF, 283 for ischaemic stroke and 359 for PVD, and 1908 deaths, were observed. Cox proportional hazards models examined the relationship between oral health indicators and incident hospitalisation for CVD and all-cause mortality, adjusting for potential confounding factors. All-cause mortality and incident CVD hospitalisation risk increased significantly with increasing tooth loss for all outcomes except ischaemic stroke (ptrend<0.05). In those reporting no teeth versus ≥20 teeth left, risks were increased for HF (HR, 95% CI 1.97, 1.27 to 3.07), PVD (2.53, 1.81 to 3.52) and all-cause mortality (1.60, 1.37 to 1.87). The risk of IHD, PVD and all-cause mortality (but not HF or ischaemic stroke) increased significantly with worsening self-rated health of teeth and gums (ptrend<0.05). In those reporting poor versus very good health of teeth and gums, risks were increased for IHD (1.19, 1.03 to 1.38), PVD (1.66, 1.13 to 2.43) and all-cause mortality (1.76, 1.50 to 2.08).

CONCLUSIONS

Tooth loss and, to a lesser extent, self-rated health of teeth and gums, are markers for increased risk of IHD, PVD and all-cause mortality. Tooth loss is also a marker for increased risk of HF.

Association between Number of Teeth and Chronic Systemic Diseases: A Cohort Study Followed for 13 Years

Background

There is growing evidence of an association between oral health, specifically dental status, and chronic systemic diseases. However, varying measures of dental status across different populations and low study sample has made comparison of studies and conclusion of findings unclear. Our aim is to examine whether the number of teeth as a measure of dental status is associated with incident chronic diseases in a cohort setting.

Methods

We conducted a cohort study among 24,313 middle-aged Germans followed up for 13 years. Data on number of teeth as a measure of dental status were obtained through self-reports. Outcomes were clinically–verified incident non–fatal myocardial infarction, stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cancer. Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were obtained from Cox regression models.

Results

Increasing number of teeth is inversely related to risk of myocardial infarction (HR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.96, 0.99). The full multivariate model of teeth groups showed a strong linear trend for myocardial infarction, a less strong trend for stroke, and no relation with type 2 diabetes mellitus and cancer in a competing risk model. Participants with 18–23 teeth and those without teeth were at 76% (95%CI: 1.04, 3) and 2.93 times (95%CI: 1.61, 5.18) higher risk of myocardial infarction compared to those with nearly all teeth (28–32 teeth).

Conclusions

Number of teeth is specifically associated with myocardial infarction and not with other chronic disease indicating that dental status further strengthens the link between oral health and cardiovascular diseases.