Risk for cervical herniated intervertebral disc in dentists: a nationwide population-based study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Epidemiology
• Musculoskeletal Disorders

Background:

• Prolonged static postures (PSPs) are suspected to increase dentists' risk of cervical herniated intervertebral disc (C-HIVD).
• Limited literature currently supports this association, necessitating further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the risk of C-HIVD among dentists compared to the general population and other healthcare providers.
• To identify potential risk factors and trends related to C-HIVD in the dental profession.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective nationwide population-based study utilizing the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.
• Comparison of C-HIVD incidence between 10,930 dentists, an equal number of matched general population participants, and 73,718 other healthcare providers (HCPs).
• Medical histories were traced from 2007 to 2011 to assess C-HIVD development.

Main Results:

• The cumulative incidence of C-HIVD among dentists was 1.1% over the 5-year follow-up.
• No significant difference in C-HIVD risk was found between dentists and the general population after adjusting for comorbidities (AOR: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.9-1.6).
• Younger dentists (≤34 years) exhibited a trend towards a higher C-HIVD risk compared to younger controls (AOR: 1.9, 95% CI: 0.9-4.1). No difference was observed between dentists and other HCPs.

Conclusions:

• Younger dentists may face an elevated risk of developing C-HIVD.
• The findings suggest that age and potentially occupational factors contribute to C-HIVD risk in dentists.