The Loneliness Epidemic: Unveiling its Impact on Odontogenic Infections. A Retrospective Cohort Study

Socioeconomic conditions and loneliness are emerging as important determinants of oral and general health. This study explores their impact on odontogenic infections (OIs) severe enough to require hospitalization.

This retrospective cohort study utilized data of patients with emergency visits to the oral and maxillofacial emergency unit from January 2012 to October 2020 at Helsinki University Hospital. The data were combined with Statistics Finland to analyze the association between socioeconomic factors and OIs. Bivariate comparisons and binomial logistic regression analysis were used to investigate the effect of selected sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors on OIs requiring hospitalization.

The study included 2838 patients, of which 709 (25.0%) were hospitalized. Patients with OIs resulting in hospitalization were statistically significantly more often single, divorced, or widowed, than married (p0.001). Additionally, rental living (p=0.049), a lower level of education (p=0.018), and lower income level (p=0.002) were associated with hospitalization. After adjusting for age, sex, and living arrangement, a marital status of single, divorced, or widowed (odds ratio, OR=1.406, 95% CI 1.148-1.723, p=0.001) and lowest income level (ref. highest income level, OR=1.418, 95% CI 1.090-1.845, p=0.009) predicted hospitalization in logistic regression analysis.

OIs resulted more often in hospitalization if the patient was single, divorced, or widowed, or had a lower income level. These findings highlight the importance of implementing comprehensive public health strategies that tackle socioeconomic disparities to enhance oral health outcomes and reduce the impact of severe dental infections.