Oral health behaviors and mortality in a 6-year cohort study of community -dwelling elderly people

Abstract

A cohort study focusing on dental health, dental behavior and mortality was carried out among the elderly residents of a village near the city Nagoya. The aim of the study was to assess the possible role of dental health and dental behavior as a predictor of mortality. A survey, conducted during the period from 2002 to 2008, targeted 1012 people over the age of 60. Upon completion of the survey, multiple logistic regression was used to analyze factors affecting the survival rate. The results revealed a significant correlation between 6-year mortality levels and oral health behavior as indicated by a yes answer to the following questions; "Do you know the 8020 Movement?"; "Do you go to the dentist as soon as possible, if you need to?"; "Do you brush your teeth two times or more during a day?"; "Do you go to the dentist for a routine dental health check-up?". Within the positive responder group logistic regression analyses further revealed that the mortality rate was significantly dependent upon age and gender when using the yearly number of routine dental health check-ups as the independent variable. Our results support the hypothesis that a routine dental health check up strongly correlates with an increased survival rate and a longer lifespan.