Oral health and workforce efficiency: Analyzing productivity loss using NHANES data

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Dental Research
• Health Economics

Background:

• Oral diseases negatively affect quality of life and work productivity.
• Understanding the economic impact of oral health is crucial for public health initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate productivity loss linked to oral health conditions.
• To investigate the association between specific oral health issues and productivity loss.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of 6830 US adults (≥30 years) from NHANES (2017-2020).
• Oral health assessed via self-rated health, periodontal disease awareness, bone loss, and DMFT index.
• Logistic regression models adjusted for demographics to determine associations with productivity loss.

Main Results:

• 3.69% of participants reported frequent productivity problems due to oral health.
• Poor self-rated oral health (OR=17.76), bone loss (OR=1.56), and higher DMFT scores were significantly associated with productivity loss.
• Non-Hispanic Black participants showed higher productivity loss (OR=2.4) compared to non-Hispanic White participants.

Conclusions:

• Poor oral health, encompassing periodontal disease, bone loss, and dental caries, is significantly linked to productivity loss in US adults.
• Improving access to dental care and preventive measures can enhance workforce productivity and mitigate economic consequences.