Oral status, oral infections and some lifestyle factors as risk factors for oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. A population-based case-control study in southern Sweden

• Published in: Acta oto-laryngologica 2005, Vol.125 (12), p.1327-1336
• Main Authors: Rosenquist, Kerstin, Wennerberg, Johan, Schildt, Elsy-Britt, Bladström, Anna, Göran Hansson, Bengt, Andersson, Gunilla
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Distribution; Alcohol Drinking; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - epidemiology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - therapy; Case-Control Studies; Clinical Medicine; Confidence Intervals; Dental status; education; epidemiology; Female; human papillomavirus; Humans; Incidence; Klinisk medicin; lesions; Life Style; Male; Medical and Health Sciences; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Mouth Diseases - diagnosis; Mouth Diseases - epidemiology; Mouth Neoplasms - epidemiology; Mouth Neoplasms - pathology; Mouth Neoplasms - therapy; mucosal; mucosal lesions; Neoplasm Staging; Odds Ratio; oral cancer; Oral Hygiene; Oropharyngeal Neoplasms - epidemiology; Oropharyngeal Neoplasms - pathology; Oropharyngeal Neoplasms - therapy; Oto-rhino-laryngologi; Otorhinolaryngology; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Risk Factors; Sex Distribution; Smoking - adverse effects; Survival Analysis; Sweden - epidemiology; Tumors; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology
• ISSN: 0001-6489; 1651-2251; 1651-2251
• DOI: 10.1080/00016480510012273

Conclusion. Our results show that average and poor oral hygiene and inadequate dental status are independent risk factors for oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OOSCC), irrespective of tobacco and alcohol consumption. Objective. To evaluate a possible relationship between oral cancer, oral hygiene, dental status, oral mucosal lesions and some lifestyle factors in a population-based case-control study. Material and methods. Between September 2000 and January 2004, 132/165 (80%) of all incident cases of OOSCC and 320/396 (81%) of the intended eligible matched controls participated in the study. Cases and controls were subjected to an identical oral examination. A standardized protocol specially designed for the study was used. Results. After adjusting for tobacco and alcohol consumption, average oral hygiene (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.1-3.6) and poor oral hygiene (OR 5.3; 95% CI 2.5-11.3) emerged as significant risk factors for OOSCC. More than 20 lost teeth (OR 3.4; 95% CI 1.4-8.5), >5 defective teeth (OR 3.1; 95% CI 1.2-8.2) and poorly fitting or defective complete dentures (OR 3.8; 95% CI 1.3-11.4) were significant risk factors. Regular dental check-ups were associated with a decreased risk of OOSCC (OR 0.4; 95% CI 0.2-0.6).