Infrequent Denture Cleaning Increased the Risk of Pneumonia among Community-dwelling Older Adults: A Population-based Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Pneumonia is a leading cause of death among older adults. The effectiveness of oral care in preventing pneumonia in nursing homes and hospitals has been reported. However, in community-dwelling older adults, the role of denture cleaning in preventing pneumonia remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the association between infrequent denture cleaning and the risk of pneumonia in community-dwelling older adults. This cross-sectional study was based on the self-reported questionnaire targeting towards community-dwelling older adults aged ≥65 years. Responses of 71,227 removable full/partial denture users were included. The incidence of pneumonia within the last one-year and the frequency of denture cleaning (daily/non-daily) were treated as dependent and independent variables, respectively. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated by the inverse probability weighting (IPW) method based on the logistic regression model. The mean age of the participants was 75.2 ± 6.5 years; 48.3% were male. Overall, 4.6% of the participants did not clean their dentures daily; 2.3% and 3.0% who did and did not clean their dentures daily, respectively, experienced pneumonia. After IPW, infrequent denture cleaning was significantly associated with pneumonia incidence (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.01–1.68)). This study suggests that denture cleaning could prevent pneumonia among community-dwelling older adults.

Health and Health Service Needs: Comparison of Older and Younger Women with Criminal−Legal Involvement in Three Cities

“…For incarcerated older persons in particular, mobility and pain issues can be especially challenging (Williams et al, 2006, 2014), and most correctional facilities were not designed to accommodate the needs of those with aging-related functional decline (Bedard et al, 2016; Reviere & Young, 2004). The prevalence of dental problems is also noteworthy because basic Medicare makes no provision for dental care and inadequate oral health in older adults has been associated with malnutrition, bone loss, and pneumonia (Azzolino et al, 2019; Kusama et al, 2019). In general, multimorbidity is a distinctive problem for older adults, with one recent review finding that 44% of those age ≥ 65 years manage three or more comorbidities, with greater prevalence of multimorbidity found in women compared with men (Ofori-Asenso et al, 2019).…”

Metal Ion Accumulation on Denture Teeth Following Exposure to Chlorhexidine and Different Drinks: A Spectrometric Analysis

“…A significant portion of the older population is made up of dental patients with fixed or removable artificial teeth due to one or more missing teeth. The beneficial effects of proper cleaning, such as reduced formation of biofilm on the surfaces of artificial teeth, are well known, but many patients do not carry out proper cleaning on a daily basis [1,2]. Many of the beverages that were tested in our study, such as cola and coffee, are popular among the general population [25].…”

“…Artificial teeth in conjunction with both fixed and removable implant-supportive appliances are a popular solution to restore aesthetics and function. The importance of proper care for these teeth through cleaning and dietary habits is well documented, but many patients still neglect their oral healthcare following treatment with these restorations [2].…”

“…With this in mind, we exposed both new and worn-down artificial teeth to the previously mentioned liquids. Many patients also neglect proper care for their artificial teeth, so we investigated the effects of brushing these teeth following exposure to liquids [2]. It was hypothesized that exposing artificial resin teeth to various liquids would lead to an accumulation of metal ions, such as nickel.…”

Surface roughness of acrylic resins used for denture base after chemical disinfection: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…More importantly, irregularities on the surface due to poor hygiene can lead to the accumulation of Candida albicans, which can cause prosthetic stomatitis that usually affects denture users 2 . Poor hygiene also has systemic implications, as reported in several recent studies, including the risk of aspiration pneumonia [9][10][11][12][13][14] , bacterial endocarditis 15 , bacterial colonisation of the upper gastrointestinal tract 16 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 17,18 , mainly in the bedridden, institutionalised or immunosuppressed patients.…”