Periodontitis in older Swedish individuals fails to predict mortality

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess mortality risk and its association to health aspects in dentate individuals 60 years of age and older.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical and periodontal data from 870 dentate individuals (age range 60-96) participating in the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Blekinge (SNAC-Blekinge) with survival statistics over 6 years were studied.

RESULTS: During 6 years of follow-up, 42/474 of the individuals (8.9 %), who at baseline were between age 60 and 75, and 134/396 individuals of the individuals (33.9 %), who at baseline were ≥75 years, died. Surviving dentate individuals had more teeth (mean 19.3, S.D. ± 7.9) than those who died (mean 15.9, S.D. ± 7.3; mean diff 3,3; S.E. mean diff 0.7; 95 % CI 2.0, 4.6; p = 0.001). A self-reported history of high blood pressure (F = 15.0, p < 0.001), heart failure (F = 24.5, p < 0.001, observed power = 0.99), older age (F = 34.7, p < 0.001), male gender (F = 6.3, p < 0.01), serum HbA1c with 6.5 % as cutoff level (F = 9.3, p = 0.002) were factors associated with mortality. A medical diagnosis of heart disease, diabetes, any form of cancer, or periodontitis failed to predict mortality.

CONCLUSIONS: A self-reported history of angina pectoris, chronic heart failure, elevated serum HbA1c, and few remaining teeth were associated with mortality risk. A professional diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, or periodontitis was not predictive of mortality.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Self-health reports are important to observe in the assessment of disease and survival in older individual.