Examining the relationship between oral health indicators, obesity, and Xerostomia in older adults

Obesity is becoming a hot topic for people and governments around the world, with many countries even considering it an epidemic. A group of researchers has made new findings about the link between obesity and oral health, making the issue even more sensitive than before. According to the findings, clear signs of periodontal disease are seen in people with a body mass index (BMI) above 30. Also, xerostomia is actually a subset of oral health that can significantly affect various aspects of oral health. Saliva plays an important role in maintaining oral health by keeping your mouth moist, cleaning your teeth, and fighting bacteria. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association between obesity indicators, general oral health variables, and xerostomia.

This cross-sectional study involved 439 adults aged 50 years or older. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire consisting of five sections: (I) demographic information, (II) oral health (issues such as loose teeth, tooth loss, use of dentures/implants, bleeding gums - self based on reported questionnaires and dental examination), (III) general health, (IV) overweight and/or obesity ( based on BMI- Height and weight measurement by a final year dental student), and (V) xerostomia (self-reported questionnaires). Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 24 software, with methods including T-test, Kruskal-Wallis, ANOVA, Chi-Square test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and logistic regression. A significance level of P < 0.05 was set for analyzing relationships.

The study included 312 female and 127 male participants. The average age, body mass index (BMI kg/m²) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR- cm/cm) of the group were 67.8 ± 11.5 years, 24.4 ± 2.1 kg/m², and 0.54 ± 0.4, respectively. The mean of the xerostomia questionnaire XI was 33.21 ± 6.56. Regarding xerostomia (self-reported questionnaires), 21.8% of respondents reported mild symptoms, 11.4% moderate symptoms, and 6.4% severe symptoms. The prevalence of xerostomia was highest in the age group of 80 years or older. People with tooth mobility reported more xerostomia than patients without tooth mobility. 41.5% vs. 27.2% (P = 0.01). Xerostomia was reported statistically significantly more frequently in patients with hypertension (P = 0.01), diabetes (P = 0.04), and myocardial infarction (P = 0.01). Patients who reported good general health had significantly less xerostomia than patients with bad general health (P = 0.04). In this study, BMI and WHtR had no significant relationship with xerostomia (P = 0.61, 0.24, respectively). However, a statistically significant association was found between WHtR and BMI with the number of missing teeth, i.e., the higher the tooth loss, the lower the BMI and WHtR (P = 0.01).

The study concludes that the prevalence of xerostomia is 39.6%, as reported by participants. Age emerged as a critical factor influencing this condition, while BMI and WHtR showed no direct relationship with xerostomia itself but were significantly related to tooth loss patterns. Notably, the highest prevalence of xerostomia was observed in patients with pulmonary disease (Asthma and respiratory allergies, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).