Participants should be aware of the following financial/non-financial relationships: . Giang T. Vu, DDS, MS, PhD: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.. Bert B. Little, M.A., Ph.D.: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.. Pin Chuang Lai, DDS, PhD: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.. Guo-Liang Cheng, DDS, MSD: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
Abstract: Objectives: Association between diabetes and dental caries has been studied using small samples of convenience in other countries, but the United States. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between diabetes and dental caries among US adults participating in the 2011-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods: The NHANES was a cross-sectional study including clinical assessments, laboratory analysis, and interviews. The sample included 16,635 participants aged 20 years and older that represent 187,596,215 individuals in the US in a probability weighted sample. Outcome variables included overall total caries score (or number of decayed, missing, filled permanent teeth – DMFT index) and the presence of caries. Bivariate analysis, Poisson regression for total caries score, logistic regression for the presence of caries were used for analysis. Results: Controlling for covariates, multiple Poisson regression revealed that total DMFT caries scores were associated with diabetes status (adjusted relative risk ratio (RR) controlled diabetes = 1.13, RR uncontrolled diabetes = 1.18; p<0.001), no college education, female sex, white race, elderly (≥ 65 years), cigarette smoking, obesity, yearly dental visits, seeing a dentist only for treatment. Similarly, multiple logistic regression shows that the odds of adults with diabetes status having dental caries were higher than among those without diabetes (adjusted risk ratio (OR) controlled diabetes = 1.84, OR uncontrolled diabetes = 1.87; p<0.05). Conclusions: Diabetes was associated with a higher caries score and an increased risk for dental caries among US adults.
Source of Funding: This study has no financial support. The authors declare no conflicts of interests.
