Cigarette smoking was found to be an independent risk factor for periodontal disease and tooth loss. Alcohol consumption was a limited risk factor for tooth loss in the younger age group, but was unrelated to periodontal disease. To prevent periodontal disease and tooth loss, health practitioners need to encourage people to stop smoking or not to start.

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Having 20 or more natural teeth was associated with increased survival rate in elderly males, but not among the elderly females.

There was a gradient in periodontal status by job classification. Professional and office workers had better periodontal status than salespersons, service occupations and drivers.

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We describe a detailed study of fluoride distribution with age in the human cortical rib bone. Human ribs were obtained from 110 subjects (M:68, F;42) aged 20-93 years. The fluoride distribution from the periosteal to endosteal surfaces of the ribs was determined by sampling each specimen using an abrasive micro-sampling technique, and the samples were analyzed using the fluoride electrode, as described by Weatherell et al. [1]. The concentration of fluoride was highest in the periosteal region, decreased gradually towards the interior of the tissue where the concentration of fluoride tended toward the plateau, and then rose again towards the endosteal surface. Patterns of fluoride distribution changed with age, and the difference between periosteal and endosteal fluoride levels increased with age. Although average fluoride concentrations increased with age in both sexes, there was a significant difference between males and females at the age of about 55 years (P < 0.05).

We report a case of intestinal obstruction caused by a congenital abnormal vascular band in a 17-year-old boy. The patient was admitted with acute colicky abdominal pain, and an emergency laparotomy revealed that the ileum was strangulated by a fibrous band with vessels about 2 mm in diameter and 7 cm in length, extending from the antemesenterium of the terminal ileum to the mesoappendix. The affected intestine was resected with the band and the appendix. Histologically, the fibrous band was composed of loose connective tissue containing arteries, veins, and nerve fibers, suggesting that it was congenital and originated from a remnant of the ventral mesentery in the embryonic period. There have been few reports of intestinal obstruction being caused by a congenital vascular band, especially in patients beyond the pediatric age group.

Periodontal disease increased the risk for high serum CRP levels in men after 1 year of follow-up.