Association between fasting blood glucose level and difficulty with chewing: the Aichi Workers’ Cohort Study

Background: Difficulty in chewing has been shown to be associated with increased mortality, geriatric syndromes, and poor activities of daily living, indicating the need for intervention. Chewing difficulties are related to tooth loss, periodontitis, dry mouth, and a number of oral health conditions. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the major causes of global burden of diseases, and has been associated with poor oral health. Prospective association between oral health status and the development of diabetes has also been reported. However, relationship between glycemic control and self-reported chewing difficulty remains less explored in working-age populations. The objective of this study is to cross-sectionally explore the association between fasting blood glucose (FBG) and self-reported chewing difficulty in adults working in a Japanese worksite. Methods: Participants from the Aichi Workers’ Cohort Study who responded to the 2018 survey were included. Participants were categorized into five FBG groups (<100, 100–109, 110–125, 126–159, and ²160 mg/dl). Multivariable odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for chewing difficulty were estimated using logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, smoking and alcohol consumption status, number of teeth, presence of periodontal disease and the number of anti-diabetic medication classes. Results: A total of 164 participants (4.2%) reported difficulty with chewing, the prevalence of which tended to increase with increasing FBG level. FBG ²160 mg/dl was significantly and strongly associated with difficulty with chewing in the final multivariable model (multivariable OR 3.84 [95% CI 1.13–13.0]). Conclusions: A relationship between higher FBG levels and difficulty with chewing was observed, independent of potential confounding factors. However, prospective or interventional studies are needed to determine causality.