Examining the Impact of Natural Teeth Trajectory on Mortality Among CLHLS.

Background: To investigate the associations between trajectories of the number of natural teeth and all-cause mortality among Chinese middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: Data for this study were sourced from the 2002, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2014, and 2018 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). The number of natural teeth was assessed through self-reports. Population-based trajectory models were utilised to explore potential heterogeneity in longitudinal changes over 16 years and to examine the associations between baseline predictors and different trajectories among cohort members. Additionally, the Cox proportional hazards model was employed to assess the risk factors associated with these trajectories.

Results: Three distinct trajectories in the number of natural teeth were identified: fewer teeth (33.34%), a moderate number of teeth (47.58%), and most teeth retained (19.08%). Several factors were found to influence changes in these trajectories: older age, male gender, poor self-reported health status, impaired vision, a higher number of chronic diseases, diminished cognitive function, and reduced frequency of social activities. Compared to the group with fewer teeth, those with moderate and most teeth demonstrated a better prognosis.

Conclusion: The number of natural teeth is associated with mortality, and retaining more natural teeth may play a significant role in promoting healthy aging.