Summary:
The status of teeth have an essential role in indicating overall health. One of the most common index for assessing dental health is the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT). Studies have shown that the number of DMFT is associated with chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some kinds of cancers, and all-cause mortality. This study was conducted to investigate the association between DMFT and nutritional status in Iranian adults. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 7,549 participants were included. The analysis showed that increasing dairy intake reduced the likelihood of DMFT and increasing refined grains and sodium was significantly associated with a higher risk of DMFT. A healthy, balanced diet was associated with a decrease in DMFT. Therefore, the authors were able to conclude that there is a link between nutrition and dental health and that following a healthy diet would reduce likelihood of DMFT.
Abstract:
This study was conducted to investigate the association between decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index and nutritional status measured by Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015), in Iranian adults. In this cross-sectional study, data from the Ravansar non-communicable diseases cohort study were analyzed. DMFT index was employed as a measurement of oral health. The HEI-2015 score was calculated based on data obtained from Food Frequency Questionnaire and categorized into quartiles. Linear regression models were used to assess the association between HEI-2015 and DMFT. From total of 7549 participants with the mean age of 45.65 ± 7.70, 3741 of them were female (49.56%). The mean of DMFT in the highest quartile of HEI-2015 was lower than the lowest quartile (12.64 ± 7.04 vs. 14.29 ± 7.54, P < 0.001). The mean of DMFT in subject who had higher socioeconomic status (SES (was significantly lower than those with low SES (P < 0.001). The mean of DMFT in the lowest quartile of HEI-2015 was significantly lower than in the highest quartile, after adjusting for confounding variables (ß = − 0.11, 95% CI − 0.54, − 0.30). The increasing dairy intake (β = − 0.08, 95% CI − 0.13, − 0.03) was associated with decreasing DMFT score and increasing refined grains (β = 0.20, 95% CI 0.02, 0.35) and sodium (β = 0.07, 95% CI 0.02, 0.12) intake was significantly associated with increasing DMFT score. A healthy diet was associated with a decrease in DMFT score in the studied population. Following a healthy diet is recommended for oral health.
Article Publication Date: 20/07/2023
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37168-z
