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Oral Symptoms Predict Mortality: a Prospective Study in Japan

¹ Department of Work Systems and Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan;
² Department of Epidemiology and International Health, Research Institute, International Medical Center of Japan, Tokyo;
³ Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan;
⁴ Asahi Kasei, Nobeoka Office Health Care Center, Miyazaki, Japan;
⁵ St. Mary’s Hospital, Kurume, Japan;
⁶ Department of Preventive Medicine and Dietetics, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan; and
⁷ Fukuoka Institute of Health and Environmental Sciences, Japan

^* corresponding author, r-ochide{at}med.uoeh-u.ac.jp

Several studies have reported positive associations between oral infections and systemic diseases. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of oral symptoms on mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and pneumonia. Using data from a cohort study in Japan, we analyzed 4,139 individuals aged 40–79 years. The baseline questionnaire included the following items related to oral symptoms: ‘sensitive teeth’, ‘difficulty in chewing tough food substances’, ‘bleeding gums’, and ‘mouth feels sticky’. We used the Cox proportional hazard model to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for mortality, after adjustments for lifestyle, socio-economic factors, and history of diseases. Persons complaining that their ‘mouth feels sticky’ had a two-fold higher risk of pneumonia (HR = 2.1; 95%CI, 1.2–3.6), while those complaining of ‘sensitive teeth’ had a lower risk of CVD (HR = 0.4; 95%CI, 0.2–0.9). Some oral symptoms may be predictors of mortality from pneumonia and CVD.

KEY WORDS: oral health • cardiovascular disease • pneumonia • cohort study