(4) Trends and Risk Factors of Adult Oral Disease: Results from a Nationwide Population-Based Study in Korea

Saturday, August 27, 2022

8:00 AM – 6:00 PM CEST

Location: Hall C

Publication Number: 678

Presenting Author(s)

Jaseung Choi
– Seoul National University College of Medicine, Jongno-gu, South Korea

Co-Author(s)

Seo-Young Park
– Sungkyunkwan University, Republic of Korea
Seokyung Hahn
– Institute of Health Policy and Management, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Korea, Republic of Korea
Hee-Kyung Park
– Department of Oral Medicine and Oral Diagnosis, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Korea, Republic of Korea
Ji-Yeob Choi
– Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea

Background: Oral diseases are the most common of chronic diseases which is a major public health burden worldwide and the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that a healthy mouth is a basic human right. Poor oral health may have a profound effect on general health as well as the quality of life, and some oral diseases are closely related to chronic diseases. However, the treatment of oral disease for oral health conditions is expensive because of the high prevalence and recurrent cumulative nature. Thus, oral health care and prevention of disease is an important issue for individual and public health.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the annual changes in the age-standardized incidence rate of oral diseases, dental caries and pulpitis, gingivitis and periodontitis, and tooth loss and identify the risk factors in Korea.

Methods: National Health Insurance Service – National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC) and Health Screening cohort (NHIS-HEALS) were used. We selected individuals who had not been diagnosed or treated for oral diseases between 2002 and 2005. The age-standardization incidence rate of oral disease was performed using 2005 population projections for Korea as a standard population. Annual percent changes (APC) of the incidence rate from 2006 to 2015 were assessed using joinpoint regression analysis. Associations between risk factors and each oral disease were evaluated by Cox proportional hazard model. Subsequently, the marginal model was used to evaluate the comprehensive effects of risk factors on all oral diseases.

Results: Decreasing trends were observed in dental caries and pulpitis (APC=-5.49 and -4.17 in NHIS-NSC and HEALS, respectively) and tooth loss (APC=-4.96 and -1.41), whereas an increasing trend existed in gingivitis and periodontitis (APC=8.66 and 9.13) between 2006 and 2015. Income level, age, chronic diseases, and infectious diseases, and BMI increased the risks of most oral diseases. Those who visited the dentist for clinical purposes significantly lowered the risk of oral diseases. Findings from the marginal model revealed that age, area, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, arthritis, infectious disease, gastrointestinal, and BMI significantly affect oral diseases.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that effective prevention against multiple oral diseases can be performed through appropriate interventions and policies for shared risk factors.