Serum albumin levels are a practical marker of general health status in the elderly and have been used to determine the severity of an underlying disease and the risk for death. This longitudinal study evaluated the relationship between serum albumin levels and root caries. A total of 266 persons with at least 1 tooth at baseline underwent a baseline examination and then annual investigations for 6 years. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between changes in serum albumin levels and the number of root caries lesions over 6 years, after adjustment for confounding factors. Change in the number of root caries lesions was significantly associated with change in serum albumin concentrations. The standardized coefficient was −0.148 (p = 0.024). We can confirm that serum albumin concentration correlates with root caries events. From these data, we conclude that persons with hypoalbuminemia are at high risk for root caries.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Baumgartner RN, Koehler KM, Romero L, Garry PJ -1996-. Serum albumin is associated with skeletal muscle in elderly men and women. Am J Clin Nutr64:552–558.
2.
Chia JS, Chang WC, Yang CS, Chen JY -2000-. Salivary and serum antibody response to Streptococcus mutans antigens in humans. Oral Microbiol Immunol15:131–138.
3.
Corti MC, Guralnik JM, Salive ME, Sorkin JD -1994-. Serum albumin level and physical disability as predictors of mortality in older persons. J Am Med Assoc272:1036–1042.
4.
de Soet JJ, Schriks MC, Kratz E, Poland DC, van Dijk W, van Amerongen WE -2003-. Dental caries related to plasma IgG and alphal-acid glycoprotein. Caries Res37:79–84.
5.
Don BR, Kaysen G -2004-. Serum albumin: relationship to inflammation and nutrition. Semin Dial17:432–437.
6.
Giordano M, De Feo P, Lucidi P, DePascale E, Giordano G, Cirillo D, et al. -2001-. Effects of dietary protein restriction on fibrinogen and albumin metabolism in nephrotic patients. Kidney Int60:235–242.
7.
Goubran Botros H, Gregoire C, Rabillon J, David B, Dandeu JP -1996-. Cross-antigenicity of horse serum albumin with dog and cat albumins: study of three short peptides with significant inhibitory activity towards specific human IgE and IgG antibodies. Immunology88:340–347.
8.
Herrmann FR, Safran C, Levkoff SE, Minaker KL -1992-. Serum albumin level on admission as a predictor of death, length of stay, and readmission. Arch Intern Med152:125–130.
9.
Koyano W, Shibata H, Nakazato K, Raga H, Suyama Y -1991-. Measurement of competence: reliability and validity of the TMIG Index of Competence. Arch Gerontol Geriatr13:103–116.
10.
Lawrence HP, Hunt RJ, Beck JD -1995-. Three-year root caries incidence and risk modeling in older adults in North Carolina. J Public Health Dent55:69–78.
11.
Locker D, Ford J, Leake JL -1996-. Incidence of and risk factors for tooth loss in a population of older Canadians. J Dent Res75:783–789.
12.
Mack F, Mojon P, Budtz-Jorgensen E, Kocher T, Splieth C, Schwahn C, et al. -2004-. Caries and periodontal disease of the elderly in Pomerania, Germany: results of the Study of Health in Pomerania. Gerodontology21:27–36.
13.
Magagnotti C, Orsi F, Bagnati R, Celli N, Rotilio D, Fanelli R, et al. -2000-. Effect of diet on serum albumin and hemoglobin adducts of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4,5-b] pyridine -PhIP- in humans. Int J Cancer88:1–6.
14.
Mattila KJ, Valtonen VV, Nieminen M, Huttunen JK -1995-. Dental infection and the risk of new coronary events: prospective study of patients with documented coronary artery disease. Clin infect Dis20:588–592.
15.
Mojon P, Budtz-Jorgensen E, Rapin CH -1999-. Relationship between oral health and nutrition in very old people. Age Ageing28:463–468.
16.
Parkash H, Sharma A, Banerjee U, Sidhu SS, Sundaram KR -1994-. Humoral immune response to mutans streptococci associated with dental caries. Natl Med J India7:263–266.
17.
Phillips A, Shaper AG, Whincup PH -1989-. Association between serum albumin and mortality from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other causes. Lancet16:1434–1436.
18.
Powell LV, Leroux BG, Persson RE, Kiyak HA -1998-. Factors associated with caries incidence in an elderly population. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol26:170–176.
19.
Rigaud D, Hassid J, Meulemans A, Poupard AT, Boulier A -2000-. A paradoxical increase in resting energy expenditure in malnourished patients near death: the king penguin syndrome. Am J Clin Nutr72:355–360.
20.
Scheinin A, Pienihakkinen K, Tiekso J, Holmberg S, Fukuda M, Suzuki A -1994-. Multifactorial modeling for root caries prediction: 3-year follow-up results. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol22:126–129.
21.
Shibata H, Naga H, Ueno M, Nagai H, Yasumura S, Koyano W -1991-. Longitudinal changes of serum albumin in elderly people living in the community. Age Ageing20:417–420.
22.
Takano N, Ando Y, Yoshihara A, Miyazaki H -2003-. Factors associated with root caries incidence in an elderly population. Community Dent Health20:217–222.
23.
Tenovuo J, Lehtonen OP, Aaltonen AS -1990-. Caries development in children in relation to the presence of mutans streptococci in dental plaque and of serum antibodies against whole cells and protein antigen I/II of Streptococcus mutans. Caries Res24:59–64.
24.
Walrand S, Chambon-Savanovitch C, Felgines C, Chassagne J, Raul F, Normand B, et al. -2000-. Aging: a barrier to renutrition? Nutritional and immunologic evidence in rats. Am J Clin Nutr72:816–824.
25.
World Health Organization -1997-. Oral Health Surveys: basic methods. 4th ed. Geneva: World Health Organization, pp. 21–52.
26.
Yoshihara A, Hanada N, Miyazaki H -2003-. Association between serum albumin and root caries in community-dwelling older adults. J Dent Res82:218–222.
