Association between tooth loss and hypertension among older Chinese adults: a community-based study

• Main Authors: Dongxin Da, Fei Wang, Hao Zhang, Xiaoli Zeng, Yiwei Jiang, Qianhua Zhao, Jianfeng Luo, Ding Ding, Ying Zhang, Bei Wu, and the Shanghai Aging Study
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2019-12-01
• Series: BMC Oral Health
• Subjects: Teeth; Hypertension; Community; Older adults
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-019-0966-3

Abstract Background The purpose of the study is to examine the association between tooth loss and hypertension among older community residents in urban China. Methods This study included 3677 participants aged ≥50 years from the Shanghai Aging Study. We determined the number of teeth missing from questionnaires. Hypertension was defined as the mean of two measurements of systolic blood pressure (SBP) (140 mmHg or higher), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (90 mmHg or higher) or physician-diagnosed hypertension confirmed from medical records. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to investigate the association between tooth loss and hypertension. Results The average number of missing teeth among study participants was 9.67. Among them, participants with hypertension had lost an average of 10.88 teeth, significantly higher than those without hypertension (8.95) (p < 0.0001). After adjusting for covariates (socio-demographic characteristics, health behaviors and other chronic conditions), teeth lost (15 or more) was significantly associated with grade III hypertension, with OR = 1.55(95% CI 1.09–2.20). Conclusions Significant tooth loss maybe associated with severe hypertension among older Chinese adults. Prevention of tooth loss is important to the overall health of this population.