Objective: To evaluate the association between alveolar bone loss (ABL) detected on panoramic radiographs and carotid artery calcification (CAC) detected on computed tomography (CT). Methods: The study subjects included 295 patients (mean age ± SD: 64.6 ± 11.8 years) who visited the Matsumoto Dental University Hospital. The rate of ABL and the number of present teeth were measured on panoramic radiographs. Univariate analyses with t-tests and chi-squared tests were performed to evaluate the differences in age, gender, history of diseases, number of present teeth, and the ABL between subjects, with and without CAC. Moreover, multivariate logistic regression analysis, with forward selection and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, was performed. Results: The number of subjects without and with CAC was 174 and 121, respectively. Univariate analyses revealed that CAC was significantly associated with age, hypertension, osteoporosis, number of present teeth, and ABL. Multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for covariates revealed that the presence of CAC was significantly associated with ABL (OR = 1.233, 95% CI = 1.167–1.303). In the ROC analysis for predicting the presence of CAC, the the area under the ROC curve was the highest at 0.932 (95% CI = 0.904–0.960) for ABL, which was significant. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the measurement of ABL on panoramic radiographs may be an effective approach to identifying patients with an increased risk of CAC.

This study suggests that it is important to consider the influence of plaque control when assessing the relationship between RA severity and periodontal health status in RA patients.

The average life expectancy in Japan has been increasing each year and has now reached 80.98 years for men and 87.14 years for women, the second highest in the world in 2016. 1 Previously, prioritized goals concerning the prevention of dental diseases and an increase in the number of remaining teeth were adopted. However, maintaining and improving oral function are the new goals to be adopted, in addition to those goals. For prolonging healthy life expectancy, countermeasures against the frailty of oral function are necessary because oral function is frequently found to be deteriorating in the elderly people. 2 In Japan, 51.2% of elderly individuals over 80 years old have more than 20 teeth remaining. 3 However, some elderly individuals still use dentures. More than 30% of elderly individuals over 80 years old wear complete dentures and 40% use partial dentures. 3 AbstractBackground: Associations between tooth loss and mortality have been reported in older individuals. However, limited information is available regarding the association between occlusion and mortality in nursing home residents. Objective:We investigated the association between posterior occluding pairs (POPs) of teeth or dentures and 1-year mortality in nursing home residents. Methods:The subjects of this study were residents from four nursing homes in Aichi prefecture, Japan, who were capable of eating and were enrolled in baseline examinations. We examined the number of present teeth and POPs (0-8 pairs), defined as pairs of occluding natural, restored or fixed prosthetic post-canine teeth. Then, we defined prosthetic POPs (0-8 pairs) as pairs of occluding natural, restored or fixed prosthetic post-canine teeth and removable dentures. Nutritional status, activities of daily living, cognitive function and comorbid conditions were assessed. One year later, we followed up the subjects. Ultimately, we analysed 173 elderly people (mean age ± SD: 87.1 ± 8.6 years; the survival group: N = 145, the deceased group: N = 28). Results:In univariate analyses, mortality was significantly associated with age, peripheral vascular disease, nutritional status, diet texture and POPs. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, subjects who had 0 prosthetic POPs had significantly higher odds of a high mortality, compared with 8 prosthetic POPs. Conclusion:Lack of properly occluding posterior teeth, whether remaining teeth or dentures, is associated with 1-year mortality. (228 words/250). K E Y W O R D S dentures, mortality, nursing home residents, posterior occlusing pairs, posterior teeth | 205 DEWAKE Et Al.

The present results showed that maintaining a high SOC level and good oral health help to reduce care need levels in older adults, and also prevent a worsening of their nutritional condition. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2083-2088.