Association Between Masticatory Difficulty and Chronic Cough in a Korean Population

Chronic cough, a common outpatient symptom, has various aetiologies, including upper airway cough syndrome, asthma, and gastroesophagoeal reflux. The potential link between dental issues and respiratory diseases has recently garnered attention. This study aims to investigate the association between masticatory difficulty and chronic cough using data from the 2011-2015 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES).

Analysis included 9706 individuals from KNHANES. Participants self-reported masticatory function and chronic cough. Covariates included age, sex, underlying diseases, socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors, and laboratory markers. Binary logistic regression analysed odds ratios for chronic cough covariates. Multiple logistic regression assessed adjusted odds ratios for masticatory difficulty.

Masticatory difficulty prevalence was 32.2%, with chronic cough higher in this group (4.8%) than in the group without masticatory difficulty (3.0%). After adjusting for socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors, and laboratory markers, masticatory difficulty was significantly associated with greater chronic cough prevalence (odds ratio, 1.137; 95% confidence interval, 1.134-1.140).

Masticatory difficulty was linked with an elevated chronic cough risk in Korean healthy adults. Further research, including prospective studies and detailed investigations into gastroesophagoeal reflux disease and microbiological studies, is warranted to elucidate the impact of mastication on respiratory health. As masticatory difficulty may serve as a clinical indicator for chronic cough interdisciplinary collaboration between dental and respiratory health professionals can facilitate early intervention and enhance patient care.