PROBLEM STATEMENT: Asthma is the most prevalent respiratory disease and impacts over 24.5 million Americans. Annual expenditures are $50 billion with more than 439,000 hospitalizations, 1.7 million emergency department visits, and 13.8 million school days missed. Additionally, approximately ten people die every day from asthma. Last, periodontal microorganisms and inflammatory mediators may be associated with the onset and/or exacerbation of asthma.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between oral health status (OHS) and asthma diagnosis in US adults.
METHODS: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2018 was obtained. Children under 18 were excluded. Asthma diagnosis was determined by inquiring if they had ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that they had asthma. Oral-health status was self-rated. Excellent OHS was the reference group. Logistic regression analysis calculated the odds ratios (OR) of asthma based on OHS, with adjusted (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) reported.
RESULTS: Participants had asthma (n=885) or not (n=4958). Participants' OHS was “excellent” (n=631), “very good” (n=1349), “good” (n=1931), “fair” (n=1320), or “poor” (n=612). In unadjusted models, ORs for asthma diagnosis based on OHS were 1.14 (95% CI = .86–1.51, P < .355) for very good, 1.14 (95% CI = .872–1.48, p = .343) for good, 1.34 (95% CI = 1.02–1.76, p<= .039) for fair, and 1.59 (95% CI = 1.17–2.16, p = .003) for poor compared to the excellent OHS group. When adjusted for history of smoking, aORs for asthma diagnosis were 1.15 (95% CI = .869–1.52, p = .332) for very good, 1.31 (95% CI = .867–1.45, p = .366) for good, 1.30 (95% CI = .988–1.71, p= .061) for fair, and 1.48 (95% CI = 1.08–2.02, p= .015) for poor.
CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate that self-rated poor oral health status was significantly associated with the diagnosis of asthma in the US adults.
Georgia State University IRB #: H24578
All abstract authors: Michelle Boyce, DHSc, RDH Lynda T. Goodfellow, EdD, RRT Halley E.M. Riley, PhD, MPH
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