2019 Volume 69 Issue 3 Pages 131-138
This study aimed to examine trends in the number of teeth (NofT) by age, identify potential NofT trajectory patterns, and explore whether these trajectory patterns were associated with all-cause mortality among community-dwelling older adults. The study population consisted of 299 adults (baseline age, 70 years; 154 men and 145 women) who had 20 or more teeth. NofT data collected annually from 70 to 80 years of age were used to assign study members to trajectories applying group-based trajectory modeling. Three distinct NofT trajectories were identified: “retaining 28 teeth”; “mid-NofT, decreasing”; and “low-NofT, decreasing”. Survival analysis using Cox-proportional hazard modeling with a maximum follow-up of 15 years (from 70 to 85 years of age) showed that the “retaining 28 teeth” trajectory was associated with lower all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.50, 95% confidence interval = 0.28‒0.89) compared with the “low-NofT, decreasing” trajectory. These study results indicate that there is heterogeneity in the trend of NofT by age among community-dwelling adults with 20 or more teeth in their 70s, and that retention of a larger number of teeth, ideally 28 teeth, during later life is associated with greater longevity.
