Baseline DMFT and tooth loss and DMFT 10 years later

Objectives: Dental status at one stage of the life course affects the risk of tooth loss and dental caries experience later in life. The aim of this study was to assess the relation between dental status (DMFT) at one stage of life and risk of having one or more teeth extracted and increases in DMFT 10 years later in Japanese employed adults. Methods: Participants were employed people working in the Nagoya area and who had attended statutory annual health checkups between December 1997 and February 2006. Of 56,561 people who had a dental examination as part of a complete physical examination, 2,216 underwent the same examination 10 years later. At baseline, participants ranged in age from 30 to 59 years. General linear models were used to estimate the relative risk and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for 10-years incidence of tooth loss, and DMFT for individuals with low, middle and high DMFT at baselines. Results: In the 30-39 year-old group the DMFT 16-28 group at baseline was 2.2 (95% CI: 1.4-3.5) times more likely to lose one or more teeth than the DMFT 0-9 group 10 years later. The DMFT 17-28 group was 2.2 (1.7-2.8) times more likely to have one or more teeth extracted than the DMFT 0-10 group 10 years later in 40-49 year-olds. The DMFT 18-28 group was 1.9 (1.5-2.5) times more likely to have one or more teeth extracted than the DMFT 0-11 group 10 years later in 50-59 year-olds. However, there were no significant relation between DMFT at baseline and increasing DMFT over the next 10 years. Conclusion: There was a relationship between DMFT and tooth loss, although baseline DMFT was not related with increasing DMFT in employed adults.