Associations between insomnia symptoms and self-reported oral health in 59370 adults

The associations between insomnia symptoms and oral health have not been studied. We examined the relationships between insomnia symptoms and oral health in a large representative sample of the middle-aged and older adult Indian population.

59,370 Indian adults aged ≥ 45 years were included in this study. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to evaluate the associations of insomnia symptoms with tooth loss, dental cavities, and periodontal disease in the whole sample and within different age subgroups.

Individuals reporting insomnia symptoms were more likely to show higher prevalence rates of tooth loss (8.4%), dental cavities (22.6%), and periodontal disease (20.9%) than those without insomnia symptoms. Multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed that there were significant associations of insomnia symptoms with tooth loss (OR: 1.20, CI: 1.12–1.29), dental cavity (OR: 1.15, CI: 1.10–1.21), and periodontal disease (OR: 1.70, CI: 1.61–1.78) independent of potential cofounders. A significant moderation effect by age was observed between insomnia symptoms and oral health conditions.

Insomnia symptoms were associated with higher prevalence rates of tooth loss, dental cavities, and periodontal disease among middle-aged and elderly adults in India. These associations varied across different age groups. In the management of oral health, the potential adverse impact of insomnia symptoms should be closely monitored.