MOUTHWASH USE AND DENTURES IN RELATION TO ORAL EPITHELIAL DYSPLASIA

This case-control study investigated the potential association between oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) and both mouthwash and denture use. I ncident OED cases aged 20-79 years were identified through two oral pa thology laboratories. Controls were pair-matched (1:1) to cases on age (+/-5 years), gender, appointment date and surgeon. A telephone inter view was used to obtain exposure information. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (95% CIs) were generated using conditional logi stic regression. Based upon 127 case-control pairs and after adjusting for smoking, drinking, education and either denture or mouthwash use, the OR for OED and regular mouthwash use (1+ uses/week for 6+ months) was 0.8 (95% CI, 0.4-1.5) while the OR for OED and wearing a denture was 0.7 (95% CI, 0.4-1.3). There were no clear trends of increased OED risk with increased mouthwash use or years of denture wearing. Our fi ndings suggest that neither mouthwash nor denture use are associated p ositively with OED risk. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.