Wearing Dentures During Sleep Increase Risk of Pneumonia
New research has found that people who forget to remove their dentures before bed are far more likely to get pneumonia.
Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs caused by a bacterial or viral infection. It can be life-threatening and is a common cause of serious illness and death in the elderly. Poor oral health and hygiene are increasingly recognized as major risk factors for pneumonia.
Researchers now believe that wearing dentures during sleep can also increase the risk of getting pneumonia. Those who wear dentures while sleeping are more likely to have tongue and denture plaque, gum inflammation, harmful yeast Candida albicans and higher levels of the protein interleukin-6; which is a tell-tale marker of inflammation and illness.
The research team randomly selected and recruited 524 people from Tokyo, Japan, who were 85 years or older to participate in a 36-month study. They were examined for oral health and their cleaning behaviors as well as having a medical assessment, including blood analysis. They followed up annually with each patient until first hospitalization for or death from pneumonia. Over the three-year period, 48 events associated with pneumonia were identified – 20 deaths and 28 hospitalizations.
Good oral hygiene and removing dentures prior to sleep are two ways to help combat the risk of getting pneumonia.
For more information, see the study in the Journal of Dental Research, published online before print Oct. 7, 2014.
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