(P20-087-24) Exploring Associations Between Tooth Loss and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Adults

Objectives: To explore associations between tooth loss (number of remaining teeth (NRT), and functional dentition (FD)) and cardiometabolic risk (CMR) factors (age, gender, race, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), physical activity (PA), smoking status, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), stroke, and cardiovascular disease (CVD)).

Methods: Cross-sectional secondary analysis of patients aged 18-89 years receiving routine care at an urban Northeast US school of dental medicine clinics between January 1, 2020, and June 1, 2023. Associations between tooth loss and CMR factors including age, gender, race, ethnicity, BMI, smoking, self-reported history of DM, HTN, stroke, and CVD were explored. Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, chi-square, and Spearman’s correlation tests were utilized.

Results: The sample (N = 32,564) was 67.7% 40 years or older, 51.7% female, 69.9% overweight or obese, 51.7% White/Caucasian, 41.6% Black/African American, and 70.3% non-Hispanic/non-Latino. The median NRT was 26.0; 75.7% had FD. Fewer teeth and lack of FD were positively associated with older age, White/Caucasian or Black/African American race, non-Hispanic/non-Latino ethnicity, BMI≥25 kg/m2, smoking, and history of DM, HTN, Stroke, and CVD (all Ps < 0.001). There was a moderate negative correlation between the NRT and older age (r = - 0.585, P < 0.001), and a weak negative correlation between NRT and higher BMI (r = -0.055, P < 0.001). Tooth loss was not associated with gender.

Conclusions: Tooth loss was positively associated with older age, race, ethnicity, higher BMI, smoking, and history of DM, HTN, stroke, and CVD. Further research on associations between tooth loss, BMI, and other CMR factors is necessary to enhance the generalizability of these findings.

Funding Sources: None