SALIVARY FLOW AND RISK OF TOOTH LOSS IN AN ELDERLY POPULATION

To investigate the relationship between salivary flow and tooth loss, 818 randomly selected dentate people aged 65 and older and living in N orth Carolina were administered a dental health interview and examinat ion. A single paraffin-stimulated whole saliva sample of 3 ml was coll ected and flow rate was calculated. Three years later, 490 people were re-examined and tooth loss was determined. Thirty-five percent of the participants had salivary flow rates of 1.0 ml/min or less at baselin e and 41% lost at least one tooth over the 3-yr follow-up. A logistic regression model controlling for marital status, race, and socioeconom ic status showed that those with low salivary flow were more likely to lose at least one tooth during the 3-yr study period than were those with normal flow (odds ratio=1.52, 95% CI=1.02-2.24). Results from thi s representative study of community-dwelling older adults support the concept that compromised salivary flow is related to tooth loss. This finding should be considered in the management and prevention of oral diseases.