Association between dental status and high-risk group of cardiovascular disease in Japanese factory workers aged 55 years and older: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Increased blood pressure in middle-aged individuals (up to 55 years old) is associated with a higher remaining lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Previous studies suggested that work-related strain was associated with increased risk of CVD events in hypertensive Japanese workers aged 40–65 years. On the other hand, dental caries, periodontal diseases, and tooth loss are associated with hypertension. The aim of our study was to evaluate the association between high-risk group of cardiovascular disease and dental status in Japanese manufacturing workers aged 55 years and older. This cross-sectional study evaluated the association between high-risk group of CVD and dental status in Japanese manufacturing workers aged 55 years and older, after adjusting for potential confounding factors via propensity score matching. Individuals with high-risk group of CVD had significantly higher numbers of decayed teeth, lower numbers of filled teeth, and worse periodontal statuses than matched controls. However, there was no significant difference between the high-risk group of CVD and non-high-risk group of CVD in numbers of present teeth. Poor dental status may be one of the exacerbation factor of CVD in Japanese manufacturing workers aged 55 years and older.