Smoking
And Sleep Top The List Of Lifestyle Factors Impacting Oral Health
[
Submitted by Dr Andreas Siebold on 15 May, 2007 ]
Study
identifies lifestyle factors that have the biggest impact on periodontal
health
CHICAGO - There are many lifestyle factors that can impact a person's
health, such as nutrition, amount of sleep, mental stress, tobacco use,
and exercise. A study in the May issue of the Journal of Periodontology
identifies lifestyle factors that have the most impact on periodontal
health.
The study followed a group of 219 factory workers in Japan from 1999 to
2003 in an attempt to evaluate the effect of different lifestyle factors
on the progression of periodontal diseases. Each worker was evaluated on
a list of the following lifestyle factors: physical exercise, alcohol
consumption, tobacco use, hours of sleep, nutritional balance, mental
stress, hours worked and eating breakfast. The study found that the
number one lifestyle factor that independently impacted the progression
of periodontal disease was smoking; hours of sleep closely followed.
Over 41% of study participants who showed periodontal disease
progression from 1999 to 2003 were current smokers. In addition, lack of
sleep was identified as a significant lifestyle factor that may play a
role in the progression of periodontal disease. The participants who
received seven to eight hours of sleep exhibited less periodontal
disease progression than those who received six hours of sleep or less.
High stress levels and daily alcohol consumption also demonstrated a
significant impact on periodontal disease progression.
"Our findings are in line with other studies that have identified
smoking as a strong lifestyle factor affecting oral health," said
study author Muneo Tanaka, DDS. "However, studies that have looked
at hours of sleep as an independent factor affecting periodontal health
are limited. From this study, we can speculate that shortage of sleep
can impair the body's immune response which may lead to the progression
of diseases such as periodontal disease."
"This study points out to patients that there are lifestyle factors
other than brushing and flossing that may affect their oral health.
Simple lifestyle changes, such as getting more sleep, may help patients
improve or protect their oral health," explained Preston D. Miller,
Jr., DDS, President of the American Academy of Periodontology. "It
is also important to keep these in mind as the body of evidence linking
oral disease with systemic diseases continues to grow because ultimately
these lifestyle factors might impact a patient's overall health."
The American Academy of Periodontology is an 8,000-member association of
dental professionals specializing in the prevention, diagnosis and
treatment of diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of
the teeth and in the placement and maintenance of dental implants.
Periodontics is one of nine dental specialties recognized by the
American Dental Association.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Kerry Gutshall
The American Academy of Periodontology
Phone: 312.573.3243
Fax: 312.573.3234
http://www.perio.org/
EDITOR'S NOTE: A copy of the JOP article "Longitudinal Study of the
Association between Smoking as a Periodontitis Risk and Salivary
Biomarkers Related to Periodontitis" is available to the media by
contacting the AAP Public Affairs Department at 312/573-3243. The public
and/or non-AAP members can view a study abstract online, and the
full-text of the study may be accessed online for $20.00 at http://www.joponline.org/
