<p>Alveolar Bone Loss, Tooth Loss and Oral Cancer Mortality in Older Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study</p>

Abstract

There has been growing interest in the association between periodontitis and systemic disease. In recent years, however, inconsistent results have also been found by case-control studies for the role of periodontitis in the development of oral cancer. This study aimed to examine whether periodontitis was an independent risk factor for oral cancer with a ≥75-year age group cohort. Materials and Methods: Between January 2010 and December 2014, 1385 patients aged ≥75 years who underwent radiographic examination were included in this retrospective cohort study. We collected demographic information and comorbid health conditions from local health authorities. Participants were followed up until either the occurrence of mortality, or the end of the study on December 31, 2018. Cox proportional hazards regression and competing risk hazard models were used to examine the association between periodontitis and oral cancer mortality. Results: Periodontitis and loss of teeth were significantly associated with oral cancer mortality. Compared to oral cancer mortality in healthy subjects, the HR and 95% CI in patients with mild, moderate, and severe periodontitis were 4.46 (0.94-21.06), 5.16 (1.14-23.39), and 6.65 (1.51-29.36), respectively. The HR (95% CI) was 1.05 (1.01-1.09) for tooth loss after controlling for potential confounding factors. All the increases in risk persisted in patients aged ≥80 years. Conclusion: The present study provides substantial evidence that poor periodontal health is associated with oral cancer mortality. It is necessary to underline the importance of considering periodontitis in the prevention of oral cancer, particularly in the older patients.

Periodontitis as a risk for oral cancer: a case–control study

“…The existence of periodontitis was defined by the partial periodontal indexes (CPITN for example), tooth loss, and self-reported periodontal evaluation [ 31 ]. Our study involves quantitative measurements and clearly supports the observation of Qian et al, that there is an association between tooth loss and the consequential bone resorption and the risk of oral SCC [ 32 ]. A high number of completely edentulous patients was registered in the case group.…”

Oral Equilibrium in Cachexia

“…in the year 2020 to assess the elemental risk factors of oral cancer mortality revealed the impact of alveolar bone loss and missing teeth significantly increasing the risk of death in aged oral cancer patients. [ 22 ] A study conducted by Martins et al . in 2020 assessed the total number of missing teeth in a population of malignant neoplasm of the oral cavity.…”

“…A tooth loss index of 48.6% was evident in the study population consisting of 35 individuals. [ 22 ] The management of the alveolar bone loss caused by PD can occasionally be restored by grafting. [ 23 ]…”

“…[ 21 ] It is considered one of the late complications of the treatment of oral cancer. [ 22 ] It has a negative effect on the patient's quality of life as it influences their nutritional status. [ 30 ] A MMO of <35 mm is currently the most recognized criterion for diagnosing trismus.…”

“…[ 21 ] Over the years, the survival rate of these patients has drastically reduced and may result in permanent sequelae of cachexia. [ 22 ]…”