Caries experience and overall health status

The aim of this work was to evaluate whether self-reported systemic diseases were associated with caries experience.

Medical history data and caries experience (DMFT and DMFS; Decayed, Missing due to caries, Filled Teeth/Surface) were obtained from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine dental registry and DNA repository. Information on 1,281 subjects was evaluated (839 with primary caries and 492 with secondary caries experience). Regression analysis was used to test for association between caries experience and disease status.

Associations were found between caries experience and specific conditions: stroke (R2 = 0.007, P = 0.001), asthma (R2 = 0.003, P = 0.025), hepatitis (R2 = 0.009, P = 0.0001), liver disease (R2 = 0.009, P = 0.00001), high blood pressure (R2 = 0.072, P = 0.00001) and diabetes (R2 = 0.03, P = 0.00001). We found primary caries to be associated with hepatitis (DMFT with R2 = 0.011, P = 0.002 and DMFS with R2 = 0.008, P = 0.006). We also found an association between secondary caries and asthma (DMFS with R2 = 0.006, P = 0.04), high blood pressure (DMFT with R2 = 0.014, P = 0.005 and DMFS with R2 = 0.043, P = 0.00001) and diabetes (DMFT with R2 = 0.013, P = 0.007 and DMFS with R2 = 0.023, P = 0.00001).

Hepatitis, asthma, high blood pressure, stroke, liver disease and diabetes are associated with higher caries experience.