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This study aimed to confirm whether the well-known income disparities in oral health seen over the life course are indeed absent in 9- to 11-yr-old children, and to explore the role of access to dental care in explaining the age-profile of the income gradient in child oral health. We used data from the 2007 United States National Survey of Children's Health. Income gradients in parental reports of children's decayed teeth or cavities, toothache, broken teeth, bleeding gums, and fair/poor condition of teeth were assessed in stratified analyses according to age of child (1-5, 6-8, 9-11, 12-14, and 15-17 yr), using survey logistic regression to control for family-, parental-, and child-level covariates. Health insurance status and use of preventive dental care were the indicators for children's access to dental care. The adjusted ORs for the effect of family income on having decayed teeth or cavities, toothache, and fair/poor condition of teeth were not significant in 9- to 11-yr-old children. Different age-patterns were found for broken teeth and bleeding gums. The attenuation of the income gradients in having decayed teeth or cavities, toothache, and fair/poor condition of teeth, previously seen in 9- to 11-yr-old children, was also seen in 15- to 17-, 12- to 14-, and 6- to 8-yr-old children, respectively, after controlling for children's access to dental care. This study supports the attenuation of income inequalities in oral health in 9- to 11-yr-old children. Access to dental care could attenuate income gradients in oral health in other age groups.

Evidence for the effects of low birth weight, breastfeeding and maternal smoking on childhood caries is mainly cross-sectional. We examined the association of these 3 putative early life factors with caries increment over a 4-y period among young children. We used data from a 4-y longitudinal caries-risk assessment study carried out among Scottish children. Early life factors were measured when children were aged 1 y (baseline). Caries assessment was repeated annually from ages 1 to 4, and the number of decayed, missing and filled primary tooth surfaces (dmfs) were used as a repeated outcome measure. The associations of low birth weight, breastfeeding and maternal smoking with dmfs at baseline and over time (trajectories) were assessed in linear mixed models. A total of 1,102 children were included in this analysis. Birth weight, breastfeeding and maternal smoking were not associated with dmfs at baseline. However, low birth weight and maternal smoking were associated with the rate of change in dmfs. By wave 4, the predicted mean difference in dmfs was 1.86 between children with low and normal birth weight, and 1.66 between children of smoking and non-smoking mothers. Children with low birth weight and smoking mothers had greater caries increments than those with normal weight and non-smoking mothers, respectively. There was no association between breastfeeding duration and childhood caries, either at baseline or over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to assess whether there is a bi-directional relationship between periodontal status and diabetes. Study 1 included 5,856 people without periodontal pockets of ≥ 4 mm at baseline. Relative risk was estimated for the 5-year incidence of periodontal pockets of ≥ 4 mm (CPI scores 3 and 4, with the CPI probe), in individuals with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels of ≥ 6.5% at baseline. Study 2 included 6,125 people with HbA1c < 6.5% at baseline. The relative risk was assessed for elevation of HbA1c levels in 5 years, with baseline periodontal status, assessed by CPI. Relative risk of developing a periodontal pocket was 1.17 (p = 0.038) times greater in those with HbA1c of ≥ 6.5% at baseline, adjusted for body mass index (BMI), smoking status, sex, and age. Relative risks for having HbA1c ≥ 6.5% at 5-year follow-up in groups with periodontal pockets of 4 to 5 mm and ≥ 6 mm at baseline were 2.47 (p = 0.122) and 3.45 (p = 0.037), respectively, adjusted for BMI, alcohol consumption, smoking status, sex, and age. The risk of developing periodontal disease was associated with levels of HbA1c, and the risk of elevations of HbA1c was associated with developing periodontal pockets of more than 4 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study aimed to examine the socioeconomic disparities in health-related behaviors and to assess if behaviors eliminate socioeconomic disparities in oral health in a nationally representative sample of adult Americans. Data are from the US Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994). Behaviors were indicated by smoking, dental visits, frequency of eating fresh fruits and vegetables and extent of calculus, used as a marker for oral hygiene. Oral health outcomes were gingival bleeding, loss of periodontal attachment, tooth loss and perceived oral health. Education and income indicated socioeconomic position. Sex, age, ethnicity, dental insurance and diabetes were adjusted for in the regression analysis. Regression analysis was used to assess socioeconomic disparities in behaviors. Regression models adjusting and not adjusting for behaviors were compared to assess the change in socioeconomic disparities in oral health. The results showed clear socioeconomic disparities in all behaviors. After adjusting for behaviors, the association between oral health and socioeconomic indicators attenuated but did not disappear. These findings imply that improvement in health-related behaviors may lessen, but not eliminate socioeconomic disparities in oral health, and suggest the presence of more complex determinants of these disparities which should be addressed by oral health preventive policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Health-risk behaviours tend to co-occur among the same sectors of the population. The aim of this study is to examine the association between an aggregate of multiple health-risk behaviours and tooth loss among American Adults., Methods: We used data from the Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2022, a nationally representative survey of non-institutionalized American. We included participants aged 18 years and older. An aggregate variable of health-risk behaviours which included smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, lack of physical activities, overweight/obesity, infrequent dental visits and infrequent medical check-up was created. Tooth loss was indicated by losing one tooth or more. Logistic Regression analysis was conducted to test the association between the aggregate of behaviours and tooth loss adjusting for income, education, ethnicity and health insurance., Results: The analysis included 326,561 participants. The mean number of health-risk behaviours was 2.13 and 1.72 among participants with tooth loss and without tooth loss, respectively. The aggregate of health-risk behaviours was significantly associated with tooth loss with odds ratios 1.23 (95% CI, 1.21, 1.26) in a model adjusting for age, gender, education, income ethnicity and health insurance., Conclusion: This study demonstrated that an aggregate of health-risk behaviours, with some not directly linked to oral health, is associated with tooth loss among American adults. The study highlights the importance of considering different risk factors when planning health promotion policies to tackle oral health., (© 2024 The Authors. International Journal of Dental Hygiene published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Oral health has been associated with general health conditions, but few longitudinal studies evaluated the effect of dentition status on gait speed., Objective: This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between different time-varying measures of dentition status (i.e., number of teeth, the presence of periodontal pockets and the functional impact of oral health) and gait speed (outcome) in older Brazilian adults., Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study using data from the Health, Well-being and Aging cohort study (SABE) from 2006, 2010 and 2015. The gait speed was the dependent variable and the independent variables of interest were dentition status evaluated using the number of teeth, use of dental prostheses, presence of periodontal pocket, clinical attachment loss and self-perceived poor functional oral health. Dentition status measures were obtained through clinical oral examinations, performed by trained dentists using standardized criteria proposed by the World Health Organization. Self-perceived poor functional oral health was evaluated using the functional domain of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index. The longitudinal effect of dentition status on gait speed was evaluated using mixed-effects linear models. The effect of the number of teeth/periodontal pocket/attachment loss on gait speed change over time was evaluated by including an interaction term between these variables. The effect of periodontal pocket was tested only among dentate individuals., Results: Data for the complete sample included 3,306 observations from 1,964 individuals. The analyses for dentate individuals included 1,883 observations from 1,149 individuals. There was a positive association between the number of teeth and mean gait speed. Individuals using dental prostheses also had higher means of gait speed than those without dental prostheses. Gait speed was lower among individuals with periodontal pockets and with attachment loss. No interaction was found between any of the indicators of dentition status and time., Conclusion: Gait speed was associated with dentition status and this association was constant over time., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine whether an aggregate of health risk behaviours is associated with the number of untreated dental caries among 12- and 15-year-old children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland., Materials and Methods: Data were from the Children's Dental Health Survey (CDHS) 2013, a nationally representative sample of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The survey included assessment of oral health and data on socioeconomic, demographic and behavioural factors pertaining to children aged 12-15 years. Tooth condition (decayed, missing and filled) was assessed by NHS dentists. The survey included questions on age, sex, country, index of multiple deprivation, smoking, alcohol consumption, frequent sugar consumption and sweetened sodas, infrequent dental visit, infrequent toothbrushing and infrequent consumption of fresh fruits. Health risk behaviours were summed up to create an aggregate variable of health risk behaviour. The association between number of untreated caries and the aggregate of health risk behaviours was assessed using negative binomial regression and adjusting for age, sex, country and deprivation., Results: The total number of children included in the analysis was 4414. The mean number of untreated caries was generally higher among children with health risk behaviours. The aggregate of risk behaviour was associated with greater prevalence of untreated dental caries with rate ratio (RR) 1.26 (95% confidence interval: 1.18, 1.36)., Conclusion: This study demonstrated an association between an aggregate of health risk behaviours and untreated caries. The findings highlight the importance of addressing multiple risk factors not only those directly related to dental caries., (© 2022 The Authors. International Journal of Dental Hygiene published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: To examine the longitudinal relationship between edentulism, nutritional intake, and the progress of multimorbidity among older Americans., Methods: We used data from the Health and Retirement Study (2006-2018), a longitudinal survey of older Americans that has collected data biennially since 1992. Edentulism was assessed in 2006 while nutritional intake was assessed in 2013. Multimorbidity was indicated by five self-reported chronic conditions: diabetes, heart conditions, lung diseases, cancer, and stroke. Individuals with two or more conditions at baseline were excluded from the analysis. Nutritional intake was calculated by summing 10 nutrients (protein, vitamins C, D, B12 and E, calcium, zinc, polyunsaturated fatty acids, folate, and ß-carotene). Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to examine the nutritional pathway between edentulism (2006) and the increase in multimorbidity from 2006 to 2018., Results: The number of individuals included in the analysis was 3463. The incidence of multimorbidity between 2006 and 2018 was 24.07%, while the percentage of edentate participants in 2006 was 16.42%. The mean total nutrition in 2013 was 4.50 (4.43, 4.55). The SEM analysis showed that edentulism was negatively associated with nutritional intake {estimate -0.15 (95%CI: -0.30, -0.01)}. A negative association was found between total nutrition and multimorbidity {estimate -0.008 (95%CI: -0.01, -0.002)}. Age, wealth, and smoking were included in the analysis and had statistically significant associations with multimorbidity., Conclusion: The analysis demonstrated a longitudinal association between edentulism, nutritional intake, and the progress of multimorbidity.

Oral health is high on the global agenda following the adoption of the 2022 global strategy on oral health at the 75th World Health Assembly. Given the global burden of oral disease, workforce development to achieve universal health coverage [UHC] is crucial to respond to population needs within the non-communicable disease agenda. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the oral health workforce [OHWF] globally in relation to key contextual factors. Data from the National Health Workforce Accounts and a survey of World Health Organization [WHO] member states were integrated for analysis, together with country-level data on population and income status. Data are presented using the WHO categorisation of global regions and income status categories established by the World Bank. Workforce densities for key OHWF categories were examined. Multiple regression was used to model workforce density and contextual influences. Challenges and possible solutions were examined by country income status. There are approximately 3.30 dentists per 10,000 population globally, and a combined OHWF [dentists, dental assistants/therapists and dental prosthetic technicians] of 5.31 per 10,000. Marked regional inequalities are evident, most notably between WHO European and African regions; yet both make greater use of skill mix than other regions. When adjusted by region, 'country income status' and 'population urbanization' are strong predictors of the workforce density of dentists and even more so for the combined OHWF. Maldistribution of the workforce [urban/rural] was considered a particular workforce challenge globally and especially for lower-income countries. Strengthening oral health policy was considered most important for the future. The global distribution of dentists, and the OHWF generally, is inequitable, with variable and limited use of skill mix. Creative workforce development is required to achieve the global oral health agenda and work towards equity using innovative models of care, supported by effective governance and integrated policies., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 World Health Organization. Licensee Public Library of Science. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution IGO License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/. In any use of this article, there should be no suggestion that WHO endorses any specific organization, products or services. The use of the WHO logo is not permitted. This notice should be preserved along with the article’s original URL.)

Objectives: To systematically review longitudinal studies on the association between cluster of/multiple health-related behaviors and tooth loss among adults.  Materials and methods: Inclusion criteria were prospective and retrospective longitudinal studies; adults; multiple or cluster of behaviors; tooth loss, one or more tooth lost and complete tooth loss. Exclusion criteria were intervention studies; cross-sectional studies; case-control studies; children under 18 years-old; single behavior. Two reviewers searched three databases up to April 2023. Open Grey and Google Scholar were searched for grey literature.  Results: Twelve longitudinal studies were included in this review. Nine studies had good quality, two had poor quality, and one had fair quality according to New-Castle-Ottawa Scale. According to ROBINS-E tool, nine studies were judged as moderate risk of bias while two studies were at low risk of bias and one study had serious risk of bias. One study assessed cluster of behavior, while others examined a number of separate health-related behaviors in relation to tooth loss. Meta-analysis was not feasible because of the high heterogeneity in exposure, measure of outcomes, covariates, sample size, and follow-up time. The research found an association between tooth loss and oral hygiene practices (two studies), dental attendance (four studies), smoking (six studies), and alcohol consumption (three studies).  Conclusion: This review provides evidence of a longitudinal association between cluster of/multiple health related-behaviors and tooth loss.

Objectives: To examine the relationship between edentulism and the progress of multimorbidity, and the role of nutritional intake and behaviours among older Americans., Methods: We used 7 waves (2006-2018) of the Health and Retirement Study, a longitudinal survey of older Americans (number included in analysis 2,224). Edentulism was assessed in 2006 and 2012. Multimorbidity was indicated by 5 self-reported conditions: diabetes, heart conditions, lung diseases, cancer, and stroke. Behavioural factors were smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, physical activity, and body mass index. Nutritional intake was calculated by summing 10 nutrients (Protein, Vitamins C, D, B12, E, Calcium, Zinc, Polyunsaturated fatty acids, Folate and ß- carotene). Multilevel models for analysis of longitudinal data were used to assess the association between change in repeated measures of multimorbidity (between 2006 and 2018) and edentulism (2006) adjusting for nutritional intake, behavioural and socioeconomic factors., Results: Participants who were edentate in 2006 and 2012 had higher rate-ratios (RR) for change in multimorbidity between 2006 to 2018 (RR: 1.29 and 1.28, respectively). After adjusting for socioeconomic factors, total nutrients and behavioural factors, these RR attenuated to 1.12 (95%CI: 1.06, 1.18) and 1.10 (95%CI: 1.05, 1.16), respectively. Total nutrition was negatively associated with progress of multimorbidity, but after adjusting for socioeconomic and behavioural factors the association became insignificant. Total nutrients rates in 2013 were significantly lower among those who were edentate in 2006 and 2012., Conclusion: There was a longitudinal association between edentulism and progress of multimorbidity. The relationship appeared to be mediated be behaviours and nutrition., (Copyright© 2024 Dennis Barber Ltd.)

Objectives: To examine socioeconomic and ethnic variations in the provision of health advice by dental professionals., Methods: Data were from the National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES) (2015-2018). Socioeconomic position (Poverty-income ratio and education) and ethnicity were the main exposures. The outcome variable of interest was whether participants received health advice regarding the "benefits of quitting cigarettes," "benefits of monitoring blood sugar levels," and "importance of oral cancer screening". Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between socioeconomic factors/ethnicity, and health advice after adjusting for covariates., Results: The analysis included a total of 5524 people aged eighteen and above who had complete data. Black and Hispanic individuals had higher odds of receiving advice on smoking (OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.04-2.12 and OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.05-2.07, respectively) and glucose monitoring (OR = 3.00, 95% CI: 2.03-4.43 and OR = 3.14, 95% CI: 2.04-4.82, respectively), but no significant difference for cancer screening advice.Higher poverty-income ratios (PIR) were associated with lower odds of receiving smoking advice (OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84-0.98), but no significant associations were observed for glucose monitoring or cancer screening advice. The study's findings reveal a social gradient in the provision of cancer advice, with individuals having higher education levels, particularly university education (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.24-2.31), showing significantly higher odds of receiving cancer screening advice CONCLUSION: The study highlights significant variations in health advice provision in dental settings, with education level, ethnicity, and smoking status playing prominent roles, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to promote equity and cultural competence in delivering health advice in dental settings., Practice Implication: The results emphasize the importance of strong policies and ongoing education for dental professionals to ensure optimal treatment and prevention., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. The authors also declare no conflict of interest. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aims to examine the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) and its determinants among elementary school children in Saudi Arabia, recognizing OHRQoL as a critical aspect of overall health and well-being., Background: OHRQoL is an essential element of health, influencing children's ability to engage in daily activities, learning, and social interactions. In Saudi Arabia, despite free dental care, significant occurrences of untreated dental caries among children highlight disparities in oral health outcomes, likely influenced by socioeconomic factors., Method: Baseline data from a longitudinal randomized controlled trial conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was utilized. Participants were elementary school students attending public schools, selected using stratified cluster random sampling. The study focused on both deciduous and permanent dentition, excluding children with medical issues. Data collection involved clinical evaluations and parental questionnaires, adhering to WHO criteria., Results: The results of the study revealed significant associations between age (mean: 98.99 months, 95% confidence interval (CI): 97.8-100.1) and untreated caries (mean: 2.54, 95% CI: 2.34-2.74) with OHRQoL among children in Saudi Arabia. Older children (Rate Ratio (RR) = 1.01; 95% CI: 1.01-1.06) and those with untreated caries (RR = 1.04; 95% CI: 1.01-1.07) had higher rates of experiencing suboptimal oral health outcomes. However, no statistically significant associations were found for other variables such as gender, family income, parental education, oral hygiene frequency, and dental visits with respect to OHRQoL., Conclusion: The study underscores that age and untreated caries are significantly and positively associated with OHRQoL in children. These findings point to the need for targeted oral health interventions and policies within the sociocultural context of Saudi Arabia, particularly focusing on early prevention and addressing socioeconomic inequalities., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Almajed et al.)

Background: Child neglect is a public health, human rights, and social problem, with potentially devastating and costly consequences. The aim of this study was to: (1) summarize the oral health profile of children across the globe; (2) provide a brief overview of legal instruments that can offer children protection from dental neglect; and (3) discuss the effectiveness of these legal instruments., Methods: We summarized and highlighted the caries profile and status of implementation of legislation on child dental neglect for 26 countries representing the World Health Organization regions: five countries in Africa (Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Zimbabwe), eight in the Americas (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Unites States of America, Uruguay), six in the Eastern Mediterranean (Egypt, Iran, Libya, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia), four in Europe (Italy, Latvia, Serbia, United Kingdom), two in South-East Asia (India and Indonesia) and one country (China) with its special administrative region (Hong Kong) in the Western Pacific., Results: Twenty-five of the 26 countries have legal instruments to address child neglect. Only two (8.0%) of these 25 countries had specific legal instruments on child dental neglect. Although child neglect laws can be interpreted to establish a case of child dental neglect, the latter may be difficult to establish in countries where governments have not addressed barriers that limit children's access to oral healthcare. Where there are specific legal instruments to address child dental neglect, a supportive social ecosystem has also been built to facilitate children's access to oral healthcare. A supportive legal environment, however, does not seem to confer extra protection against risks for untreated dental caries., Conclusions: The institution of specific country-level legislation on child dental neglect may not significantly reduce the national prevalence of untreated caries in children. It, however, increases the prospect for building a social ecosystem that may reduce the risk of untreated caries at the individual level. Social ecosystems to mitigate child dental neglect can be built when there is specific legislation against child dental neglect. It may be more effective to combine public health and human rights-based approaches, inclusive of an efficient criminal justice system to deal with child dental neglect., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2023 Foláyan, Ramos-Gomez, Fatusi, Nabil, Lyimo, Minja, Masumo, Mohamed, Potgieter, Matanhire, Maposa, Akino, Adeniyi, Mohebbi, Ellakany, Chen, Amalia, Iandolo, Peedikayil, Aravind, Al-Batayneh, Khader, Al-Maweri, Sabbah, Abeldaño Zuñiga, Vukovic, Jovanovic, Jafar, Maldupa, Arheiam, Mendes, Uribe, López Jordi, Villena, Sam-Agudu and El Tantawi.)

Background: Vision and hearing impairments can reduce participation in social activities. Given the prominent role of the mouth in face-to-face interactions, this study evaluated the associations of tooth loss, vision, and hearing impairments with social participation among older adults., Methods: This analysis included 1947 participants, aged 60+ years, who participated in three waves (2006, 2010, and 2015) of the Health, Wellbeing and Aging Study (SABE) in Brazil. Social participation was measured by the number of formal and informal social activities (requiring face-to-face interaction) participants were regularly involved in. Teeth were counted during clinical examinations and categorized as 0, 1-19, and 20+ teeth. Reports on vision and hearing impairments were classified into three categories (good, regular, and poor). The associations of each impairment with the 9-year change in the social participation score were tested in negative binomial mixed-effects models adjusting for time-variant and time-invariant covariates., Results: Each impairment was associated with the baseline social participation score and the annual rate of change in the social participation score. Participants with 1-19 (incidence rate ratio: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.91-1.01) and no teeth (0.92, 95% CI: 0.87-0.97), those with regular (0.98, 95% CI: 0.95-1.01) and poor vision (0.86, 95% CI: 0.81-0.90), and those with regular (0.94, 95% CI: 0.91-0.98) and poor hearing (0.91, 95% CI: 0.87-0.95) had lower baseline social participation scores than those with 20+ teeth, good vision, and good hearing, respectively. Furthermore, participants with 1-19 (0.996, 95% CI: 0.990-1.002) and no teeth (0.994, 95% CI: 0.987-0.999), those with regular (0.996, 95% CI: 0.992-0.999) and poor vision (0.997, 95% CI: 0.991-1.003), and those with regular (0.997, 95% CI: 0.992-1.001) and poor hearing (0.995, 95% CI: 0.990-0.999) had greater annual declines in the social participation score than those with 20+ teeth, good vision and good hearing, respectively., Conclusion: This 9-year longitudinal study shows that tooth loss, vision, and hearing impairments are associated with reduced social participation among older adults., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The American Geriatrics Society.)

Objectives: To examine the relationship between tooth loss and co-occurrence of multiple chronic conditions (MCC) among American adults at working age., Materials and Methods: Data was from the Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System 2018, a cross-sectional telephone-based, nationally representative survey of American adults. We included participants aged 25-64 years. The survey included sociodemographic data, reported diagnosis of chronic conditions, the number of missing teeth and health behaviours. An aggregate variable of chronic conditions was created which included heart attack, angina, stroke, cancer, chronic pulmonary disease, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, depression, and kidney diseases. The association between the number of missing teeth and the aggregate of chronic conditions was assessed adjusting for confounders., Results: The analysis included 202,809 participants. The mean number of MCC was 0.86 (95% Confidence Interval 'CI':0.85,0.87). Tooth loss was significantly associated with MCC with rate ratio 1.18 (95% CI:1.15,1.21), 1.53 (95% CI:1.48,1.59) and 1.62 (95% CI:1.55,1.69) for those reporting losing 1-5 teeth, 6 or more but not all, and all teeth, respectively after adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioural factors., Conclusion: Tooth loss could be an early marker for the co-occurrence of multiple chronic conditions among adults of working age. The association could be attributed to common risk factors for oral and general health.