Daily Denture Cleaning Lowers Mortality Risk in Older Adults, unravels study
Researchers have discovered in a new study that older adults who brushed their dentures every day have a reduced risk of death in comparison to individuals who did not brush. The research, which was part of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES), analyzed more than 45,000 older adults living in the community who were 65 years and older, identifying a simple but important health practice of cleaning dentures. The work stresses the relevance of denture cleansing not only for dental health but also for survival in aged persons. The study was published in The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry by Taro K. and colleagues.
This cohort study with a large sample included 45,301 participants (mean age: 75.8 years, SD: 6.4; 46.4% male) who wore removable dentures.These respondents self-reported in questionnaires how often they cleaned dentures, as either daily or nondaily. The main objective was to determine if such frequency of denture cleaning was associated with all-cause mortality during the study period. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine the data, controlling for possible confounders like demographics, overall health status, and socioeconomic status.
Key Findings
• 4.5% of the participants indicated that they did not clean their dentures every day.
• The all-cause mortality rate for all participants was 2.42 per 100 person-years.
• Adjusted for the possible confounders, the non-daily cleaners had a significantly increased risk of mortality when compared to daily cleaners.
• Particularly, the all-cause mortality hazard ratio (HR) for the nondaily cleaning group was 1.18 (95% Confidence Interval: 1.06 to 1.30), suggesting an 18% increase in risk of death.
This research is in accordance with the growing recognition that oral health holds a focal position in systemic wellness. Dentures, if not properly cleaned, can be home to lethal bacteria and fungi and cause higher infection risks such as aspiration pneumonia, a proven source of morbidity and mortality in elderly populations.
The research proved that nondaily denture cleansing was related to an 18% higher risk of all-cause mortality in aged people who reside in the community. Denture cleanliness education should be prioritized by health care professionals, families, and also community health personnel in order to improve oral and systemic health in the elderly.
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