Sleeping With Your Dentures In Can Double The Risk Of Pneumonia

Recent findings published in the Journal of Dental Research (JDR) show that sleeping with dentures can cause a two-fold increase pneumonia risk.

For the study, researchers from Nihon University School of Dentistry analyzed the link between a variety of oral hygiene behaviors and pneumonia--a lung infection caused by bacteria, a virus or fungi that can be fatal, in more serious cases. The link was analyzed among individuals 85 years and older, involving 524 randomly selected seniors who underwent oral health examinations and medical assessments yearly until first hospitalization for or death from pneumonia.

Findings revealed that 41 percent of seniors who wore their dentures during sleep were significantly more likely to develop pneumonia than those who took them out at night.

Furthermore, analysis of a multivaritave Cox model showed that wearing dentures overnight revealed a 2.3-fold higher risk of developing the health issue. Researchers even said that pneumonia risk of overnight denture wearing was similar to other risk factors, such as smoking and respiratory disease-not to mention gum inflammation.