Factors associated with becoming edentulous in the US Health and Retirement Study
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society Jul 30, 2019
Weintraub JA, et al. – Researchers conducted a 6-year longitudinal study involving participants from the Health and Retirement Study in order to investigate factors related to older adults becoming edentulous (complete tooth loss). Participants included adults aged ≥ 50 years (n=9,982). The number of edentulous and dentate individuals over the course of the study period (2006-2012) was 563 (5%) and 9,419 (95%), respectively. The researchers noted a greater likelihood of black/African American race and less education among adults who became edentulous by 2012 vs those who remained dentate. The former vs the latter group demonstrated was also more likely to be current smokers, diabetic, and have poorer self-rated general health, more functional limitations and disabilities, and fewer dental visits, among other factors. Even in the presence of many other comorbid conditions, edentulism could be prevented by two modifiable factors: regular dental utilization and smoking. To determine causality, however, further study is required.
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