Tooth loss and osteoporosis: to assess the association between osteoporosis status and tooth number

Background Osteopenia and osteoporosis are conditions characterised by a reduction in bone mineral density. There is contradictory evidence whether osteoporotic patients have greater tooth loss than non-osteoporotic patients.Objective To investigate the association between tooth number and osteoporotic status, taking into account the effect of other confounding variables such as age, smoking status, alcohol consumption and the use of hormone replacement therapy.Setting Three hundred and fifty-nine patients were recruited from the Manchester region between March 2008 and June 2010.Subjects and methods Data were collected on osteoporotic status, smoking status, alcohol consumption, age and the use of hormone replacement therapy. Dental panoramic tomographs were taken for each patient and the teeth present were charted and counted. Data were analysed using SPSS software (version 19).Results Complete data was available for 333 patients. Twenty-seven percent of individuals (90) were classified as osteoporotic. There was a significant relationship between molar tooth number and osteoporotic status (p = 0.017, 95% CI -1.339 to -0.137).Conclusion Clinicians should inform osteoporotic patients they may be at greater risk of tooth loss and instigate more intensive preventive regimens for these individuals. © 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.