Abstract
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between the number of present teeth, the loss of teeth and medical care expenditure among the elderly.
Methods: The study examined approximately 40, 000 elderly residents who were aged 70 and over in Hyogo Prefecture. Using the National Health Insurance scheme, the number of present teeth for those who visited dental clinics between May 2002 and May 2005 was recorded and their information was matched with their subsequent annual medical records. The relationship between the number of present teeth and the patients' annual medical expenditure was examined. The number of remaining teeth at baseline, the number of teeth lost and the change of annual medical expenditure over three years were compared.
Results: Annual medical expenditure is higher with age, in males, and for those who have fewer present teeth, all statistically significant at p<0.001 level. On the other hand, no statistical significance was seen for the relationship between the three-year change of annual medical expenditure, the number of present teeth at baseline and the number of teeth lost.
Conclusion: Our research results imply that the maintenance of one's own teeth may lead to less medical expenditure, although tooth loss may not affect medical expenditure in a short term. It is recommended to further explore specific disease-based medical expenditure and a long-term follow-up study for the impact of loss of teeth on medical expenditure.
