Associations of Diabetes and Low HDL-cholesterol With Number of Teeth

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the association between the number of present teeth and prevalence of diabetes and low HDL-cholesterol according the smoking status among aged 55- to 84- year elderly Korean adults.
Methods: From the fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted from 2007 to 2009, subjects (n=4,780) aged 55 to 84 year were included in the analysis. All subjects were categorized into two groups (smoker=758 and non-smoker=4,022). Information on smoking, prevalence of diabetes and low HDL-cholesterol, self-rating of oral health and various covariates was obtained using self-administered questionnaires. The dependent variable was number of present teeth. Multivariable linear regression models considering covariates were applied to explain the associations between the number of present teeth and other variables.
Results: Smoking was associated with the number of teeth in all subjects (P < 0.001). Among non-smokers, household income, education level, illegal dental treatment and prevalence of diabetes and low HDL-cholesterol were associated with the number of present teeth (P < 0.1). In the result of smokers, the related factors were only education level and illegal dental treatment (P < 0.001). Other variables associated with the number of present teeth were self-rating of oral health and speaking problems regardless of smoking status (P < 0.001). In both groups, subjective self-rating of health was not related to the number of present teeth (P < 0.001). Although chewing problems were associated in the both (P < 0.001), linear correlation was not confirmed depending on number of the present teeth.
Conclusions: Our finding suggests that smoking affects the number of present teeth and even the association between number of teeth and other covariates. Among non-smokers, diabetes and low HDL-cholesterol were associated with the number of present teeth.