Association between dietary patterns and existing natural teeth in Chinese elderly: a national community-based study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nutritional Science
• Dental Health

Background:

• Dietary patterns significantly influence health outcomes in aging populations.
• Maintaining natural teeth is crucial for overall health and quality of life in the elderly.
• Understanding the interplay between diet, BMI, and dental health is essential for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the independent and combined effects of protein, sugar-salt, and anti-inflammatory diets on existing natural teeth in Chinese elderly.
• To explore the mediating role of body mass index (BMI) in the relationship between these dietary patterns and tooth retention.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study using data from 11,608 Chinese adults aged 65+ (2017-2019 CLHLS).
• Dietary intake assessed using a 13-item food frequency questionnaire focusing on diet around age 60.
• Statistical analyses included restricted cubic splines, multiple linear regression, and mediation analysis to assess diet-tooth associations and BMI's role.

Main Results:

• High protein and anti-inflammatory diets showed positive linear associations with the number of existing natural teeth.
• High sugar-salt diets were negatively associated with existing natural teeth, increasing the risk of tooth loss.
• A joint effect was observed where low protein, high sugar-salt, and low anti-inflammatory diets were linked to fewer teeth.

Conclusions:

• Promoting high-protein and anti-inflammatory diets while reducing sugar-salt intake may help prevent tooth loss in older adults.
• Body mass index (BMI) partially mediates the impact of these dietary patterns on tooth retention, suggesting weight management is also important.