Oral health and depression in older Japanese people.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between oral dysfunction and depressive symptoms in Japanese community-dwelling seniors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants included 351 community-dwelling seniors (189 men, 162 women) aged 77 years. During dental examination, teeth and periodontal condition, including number of teeth, number of dental caries, pocket depth and clinical attachment level, were assessed, and unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rates were measured. The General Health Questionnaire 30 (GHQ-30) was used to assess depression. The Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology (TMIG) Index of Competence was used to assess activities of daily living. RESULTS: Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that gender (odds ratio [OR] = 2.3), low unstimulated salivary flow rate (OR = 2.1), 'Complaint of mouth pain' (OR = 2.4), 'Complaint of physical disorders' (OR = 2.1), and the total TMIG Index of Competence score (OR = 2.0) were positively associated with the high GHQ-30 score. CONCLUSION: Subjective and objective oral dryness and oral pain are associated with depressive symptoms.

Factors associated with root caries incidence in an elderly population.

OBJECTIVE: To identify baseline factors associated with future root caries development in an elderly population. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: Oral health and general health status examinations were carried out at baseline and after one and two years. In order to identify risk predictors of root caries with a different degree of robustness, three multiple logistic regression analyses where the dependent variables were one, two and three or more disease events were performed. PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred noninstitutionalised adults aged 70 in Niigata, Japan took part in the baseline examination. A total of 373 subjects were followed up for two years and identified as dentate at the two-year examination. RESULTS: During the period of study, 35.9% of subjects developed at least one new root caries lesion. The mean number of new root caries lesions per subject was 0.9 (sd = 1.7). Logistic regression analyses indicated that having one or more root D surface and mean LA > or = 3.6 mm were the most robust risk predictors, having two or more prosthetic crowns, non use of interdental brushes or dental floss and LB > or = 10(5) CFU/ml were moderately robust risk predictors, and a Body Mass Index < 20 was the least robust risk predictor. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that oral health status is a good risk predictor, and poor general health indicated by a low Body Mass Index may also contribute to root caries occurrence in this elderly population.

Association between serum calcium and periodontal disease progression in non-institutionalized elderly.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of baseline serum calcium on the progression of periodontal disease in non-institutionalized elderly. BACKGROUND: Although a few studies have found some evidence of the role played by dietary calcium in periodontal disease process, there is a paucity of information pertinent to longitudinal assessment of serum calcium-periodontal relationships. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Clinical attachment levels of 266 Japanese subjects aged 70 years were recorded at baseline and annually for six consecutive years. Progression of periodontal disease (PPD) was defined as the number of teeth that showed additional attachment loss of > or =3 mm during the 6 years. The number of PPD was calculated for each subject and categorised into four levels, namely, PPD(0), PPD(1), PPD(2) and PPD(3) where the number of teeth with additional attachment loss ranged from 0, 1-10, 11-20 and >20 respectively. The levels of serum calcium, albumin, random blood sugar, immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA and IgM), gender, smoking habits, education, gingival bleeding and the number of teeth present were obtained at baseline. RESULTS: Serum calcium, IgA, smoking, gingival bleeding and teeth present were associated with PPD at p < or = 0.10 and were included in a multinomial logistic regression analysis. Serum calcium was the only variable that was significantly associated with PPD with relative risks of 100 at PPD(1) and PPD(2), respectively, and 1000 at PPD(3). CONCLUSION: Serum calcium may be considered a risk factor for periodontal disease progression in non-institutionalized elderly.