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Periodontal diseases have been reported to be lifestyle-related and associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS). The introduction of dental checkups in a health checkup program may create a synergistic effect and aid the prevention of MetS. In Japan, a chewing function questionnaire has now been introduced into the national health checkup program. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the questionnaire reflects dental and oral conditions and whether it helps improve general and oral health. A total of 6599 subjects who underwent health checkups or guidance specified by the National Health Insurance of Japan for two consecutive years were included. A single comprehensive question to evaluate masticatory function was asked. Medical and dental examinations and insurance data were collected and used for analysis. In terms of masticatory function during chewing, 82.3% of subjects experienced no problems, 17.3% experienced some difficulty, and 0.4% experienced severe problems. There was a significant relationship between the questionnaire response and dental examinations results for several items of examination. The overall dental consultation rate after health screening was 42.3%. Improvement in periodontal disease was achieved in those who reported some problems with chewing function. Improvement in blood pressure was also observed in those who reported some problem with chewing function and subsequently had a dental consultation. The results of this study indicate that questionnaires on masticatory function reflect the status of dental and oral health. In addition, the results suggested that questionnaire results are potentially linked to improvement in dental and oral health status, and improvement in MetS., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Society of The Nippon Dental University.)

Purpose: To investigate the association of low renal function and overweight with poor periodontal condition in community-dwelling older Japanese women., Materials and Methods: In total, 359 older women (age range: 55-74 years) participated in this study. Two periodontal parameters - the number of teeth with a probing pocket depth (PPD) or clinical attachment level (CAL) ≥ 4 mm - were used as the dependent variables. The principal independent variables were low renal function as defined by the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and overweight as defined by the body mass index. Poisson regression analysis was used to calculate the ratio of means (RM)., Results: The RMs of the number of teeth with a PPD or CAL ≥ 4 mm in an adjusted model without an interaction term were 1.21- or 1.27-fold higher among those with an eGFR < 60, while those among the participants with an eGFR < 60 in the adjusted model with interaction terms for the number of teeth with a PPD or CAL ≥ 4 mm were 1.43- or 1.36-fold higher. In addition, increments of periodontal risk with low renal function and overweight showed a slightly smaller to negative trend., Conclusion: The present findings suggest a connection between unfavourable periodontal health and both renal function and being overweight among older Japanese women. A weak negative interaction was also found between poor renal condition and overweight in relation to periodontal condition.

Background: Early detection of decreased kidney function can help prevent the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure and cardiovascular events. Potentially significant associations between kidney function and periodontal disease have been reported in cross-sectional studies. However, no longitudinal study has been performed and no study has been performed in Japan. The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate the effect of periodontal disease on kidney function in community-dwelling Japanese elderly., Study Design: Retrospective cohort., Setting & Participants: Members of this cohort were drawn from a longitudinal interdisciplinary study of aging. Included for this analysis were 317 participants (166 men, 151 women) aged 75 years in 2003., Predictor: The periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA), reflecting the amount of inflamed periodontal tissue, was calculated for each participant. Participants were classified in quartile groups according to PISA, then divided into 2 groups (highest quartile vs the other 3 groups combined)., Outcomes: The primary outcome for the analysis was decreased kidney function, defined as a decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate at follow-up., Measurements: Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to predict decreased kidney function on the basis of periodontal status, risk factors for kidney disease, and other potentially relevant covariates., Results: During the 2-year follow-up (2003-2005), 45 participants (14.2%) developed decreased kidney function. The highest PISA quartile was associated significantly with a greater cumulative incidence of decreased kidney function (OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.05-4.79) than the referent group (the other 3 quartiles) after adjusting for covariates., Limitations: Extension of interpreting the findings to other age groups is limited., Conclusion: These results suggest that periodontal disease may be a risk factor for decreased kidney function in Japanese elderly., (Copyright © 2012 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)