Association Between Diet Quality, Tooth Loss, and Dental Caries: Data from NHANES 2015-2018

Abstract

Background: Optimum oral health and nutrition are essential to achieve and maintain overall and systemic health. The relationship between nutritional status and oral health has been examined in several studies. Cariogenic dietary patterns have been associated with tooth loss and dental caries. Dietary factors affect a variety of health factors, such as oral health, aside from social and psychological areas essential to maintaining the quality of life (QoL). This study aims to investigate the association between AHEI-2010, tooth loss and dental caries.

Methods: Using the data from NHANES 2015-2018, we included adults 18 years and older. We measured the status of tooth loss, dental caries, and the diet quality of the individuals using AHEI-2010 and investigated the association between them while adjusting for covariates using Poisson and Logistic regression.

Results: The mean AHEI-2010 score was 38.7±10.8 (out of 100). Our results showed an inverse association between the diet quality index (AHEI-2010) score and the presence of untreated coronal and root carious lesions and the loss of functional dentition. The mean ratio of teeth with untreated caries among the third quartile was 0.61 times the average number of teeth (95% CI=0.47, 0.78) and 0.49 times among individuals in the fourth quartile (95% CI=0.36, 0.66) compared to the lowest quartile group.

Conclusion: This study indicates that lower diet quality measured using the AHEI- 2010 is associated with coronal and root dental caries and loss of functional dentition. Establishing a strong evidence-based foundation of the association between diet patterns and oral-systemic health can facilitate the development and promotion of sustainable, effective policies, strategies, and cost-effective interventions with the end goal of improving diet intake, oral-overall health, and food security while reducing the risk of developing malnutrition, diet-related NCDs, disability, and premature deaths.