PET OWNERSHIP AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE ORAL HEALTH OF OLDER ADULTS

Abstract

Objective: To explore the effect of pet ownership (PO) on the oral health of older adults. Methods: NHANES data 2005-06 was analyzed (logistic/linear regression), restricted to aged 65 years and older. The outcomes of interest were the presence/absence of untreated dental caries, the presence/absence of dental restorations, and mean number of teeth. The primary independent variable was PO status within the past year. Potential confounders included demographic data (age, gender, race, marital status, poverty income ratio, education), smoking status, depression, physical activities, and mean sugar intake, taking into account NHANES complex sampling. Results: Individuals aged 65-69 were more likely to own pets than those older than 70 years, with dogs being the most popular pet (62%) followed by cats (31%). After adjusting for potential confounders, there was no association between pet ownership in seniors and the outcomes of interest. Non-Hispanic blacks reported the highest tooth loss (-6.42 teeth) among the racial groups and were 40% less likely to have a dental restoration. In the unadjusted model Mexican Americans have 2.83 times the odds of untreated dental caries compared to Non-Hispanic whites, while current smokers had 7 fewer teeth than those who never smoked. Conclusions: Pet ownership was not associated with improved oral health for older adults. Despite the lack of oral health protection, pet ownership provides companionship, reduces loneliness, and increases socialization among older adults.