DENTAL CARIES EXPERIENCE ASSOCIATE WITH MENTAL ISSUES AND HYPERTENSION IN ASIAN AMERICANS

Abstract

Objective: To determine if oral health indicators (dental caries experience and periodontitis) associate with mental and cardiovascular health issues in Asian Americans. Methods: Medical history data, dental caries experience (DMFT and DMFS; Decayed, Missing due to caries, Filled Teeth/Surface), and periodontitis
status of Asian Americans were obtained from the Dental Registry and DNA Repository at University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. A total of 6,117 individuals were evaluated and among which dental status of 309 Asian American subjects (292 adults and 17 children under the age of twelve) were analyzed. The frequency of mental health issues and hypertension depending on dental caries experience (Decayed, Missing due to caries, Filled Teeth or Surfaces, DMFT/DMFS) and periodontitis were evaluated and chi-square or Fisher’s exact test were used with an alpha of 0.05 to determine statistical differences. Results: For the 292
Asian American adult subjects, the mean DMFT was 10.1 and mean DMFS was 27.5, which is similar to the expected values in adult DMFT (9.0-11.3) for the United States. For the 17 Asian American children subjects under age of twelve, the mean DMFT was 1.8 and mean DMFS was 3.8, which also fell into the expected values for children DMFT for the United States (1.2-2.6). More severe dental caries experience was associated with having an underlying mental health issue (p=0.02) and hypertension (p=0.02). No associations between having periodontitis and mental or cardiovascular issues were found in the cohort. Conclusion: More severe dental caries experience of Asian Americans associate with mental and cardiovascular issues.