Association between Pneumonia/Bronchitis and Regular Dental Care in Japanese Adults

Abstract

 The association between pneumonia/bronchitis and regular dental care was examined in a cross-sectional study of 1,134 Japanese adults who participated in both medical and dental examinations between April 2018 and March 2019. The presence or absence of pneumonia/bronchitis was noted for participants who had pneumonia/bronchitis within the past year, according to the medical history based on medical records. The frequency of dental care was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire. Pneumonia/bronchitis was identified in 29 (3%) participants. Participants with pneumonia/bronchitis were less likely to have received regular dental care (p=0.018) compared with those who did not. Furthermore, the results of logistic analysis after adjusting for potential confounding variables showed that a diagnosis of pneumonia/bronchitis was associated with regular dental care (at least once every 6 months, odds ratio [OR]=0.399, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.186 to 0.855). These results suggest that the presence of pneumonia/bronchitis is associated with regular dental care.