Association between tooth retention and lower inflammatory dietary pattern in older adults

Tooth loss is highly prevalent among older adults and may compromise food selection, diet quality, and adherence to proinflammatory dietary patterns, thereby contributing to chronic inflammation and adverse health outcomes. This study investigated the association between tooth retention and the inflammatory potential of the diet among older adults.

A cross-sectional analysis was conducted among 1,075 adults aged 60 years or older. According to the oral examination, participants were categorized as having ≥21, 11-20, 1-10, or no natural teeth, and as edentulous. The Dietary Inflammatory Index was constructed using a food-frequency questionnaire.

Individuals with more teeth were younger, possessed higher educational attainment, were less likely to smoke, and exhibited elevated Mini-Mental State Examination scores. After adjustment for potential confounders, older adults with 1-10 natural teeth had significantly higher odds of belonging to a more pro-inflammatory dietary category than those with 21-28 teeth (OR = 2.19; 95% CI: 1.44-3.33; p-value <0.001).

Our findings suggest that tooth retention is closely associated with the inflammatory potential of the diet in older adults and supports the integration of oral health into nutritional assessment and healthy aging strategies.