Influence of Lifestyle-Related Diseases on the Oral Health of the Rural Elderly in Korea

Abstract

= Abstract =Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of four lifestyle-related diseases, diabetes, hypertension, obesity and hypercholesterolemia, on oral health in the rural elderly in Korea. Methods:We enrolled 399 subjects over 60 years of age over a six year period, year 2000-2006/ year 2001-2007. All subjects received a routine health examination as part of a program conducted by the National Health Insurance Corporation at Seongju-gun Public Health Center in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea. All subjects were surveyed and examined to determine their general and oral health statuses. Results:Our results suggest that the duration of lifestyle-related diseases has a significant influence on oral health. The following factors were all significant in the results of analyses: duration of diabetes, tooth decay, which teeth had decayed, missing and filled teeth(DMFT), duration of hypertension, and duration of obesity and hypercholesterolemia(p<0.05).Our results also suggest that the number of lifestyle related diseases has a significant influence on oral health. Subjects with more than two diseases had significantly greater numbers of missing teeth and greater numbers of DMFT(p<0.01).The results of simple regression analysis indicate that patients exhibiting longer durations of diabetes also exhibit more tooth decay, and that patients exhibiting longer durations of hypertension and obesity are characterized by greater numbers of missing teeth. The longer the duration of any of the four lifestyle-related diseases we considered, the more DMFT we observed. Multiple regression analyses also demonstrated that longer duration of lifestyle-related disease was associated with greater numbers of missing teeth. As the number of lifestyle-related diseases increased, DMFT also increased. Conclusions:In summary, lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and hypercholesterolemia have significant influences on oral health in the elderly. In this context, the prevention and management of lifestyle-related disease is critical for the maintenance and promotion of oral health.