Objective: To assess the association between self‐rated oral health and frailty index among older American adults aged 60 years and over.Materials and methods: Data from the National Health and Nutrition and Examination Survey from 2011 to 2014 were used. Self‐rated oral health was assessed based on a single question “rate the health of your teeth and gum”. A frailty index of 49‐items covering multiple systems was created. Age, gender, ethnicity, poverty‐income ratio, education, poor nutritional intake and smoking were used as covariates. Weighted negative binomial regression was used to test the association between self‐rated oral health and frailty index adjusting for the covariates.Results: A dose response relationship was observed between self‐rated oral health and frailty index. The rate ratios (RR) of frailty index were 1.03 (95% CI 0.95‐1.13), 1.15 (95% CI 1.05‐1.25), 1.30 (95% CI 1.17‐1.45) and 1.41(95% CI 1.28‐1.54) for participants who rated their oral health very good, good, fair or poor, respectively, compared with those who rated their oral health excellent after adjusting for covariates.Conclusion: Poorer self‐rated oral health is associated with higher rates of frailty index. This highlights the importance of oral health as a predictor of frailty and the adequacy of using self‐rated oral health in health surveys and clinical practices when conducting a comprehensive clinical oral examination is not feasible.

Many studies have been conducted to understand the association between e-cigarette use and different periodontal parameters, but the effect of conventional smoking in explaining this association remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to assess the association between e-cigarettes and self-reported periodontal disease, and whether smoking status explains this association. This cross-sectional study was based on secondary data analysis of 8,129 participants of the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) 2015 -2018. E-cigarette use and smoking status were collected through questionnaires. Self-reported periodontal diseases and bone loss were derived from the 8-item CDC/AAP questionnaire. The associations between e-cigarette use and self-reported periodontal diseases were tested in logistic regression models adjusting for demographic factors, socioeconomic indicators, smoking status, diabetes and dental visits. Additionally, to test the effect of smoking on the relationship, three fully adjusted logistic regression models stratified by smoking status were constructed. E-cigarettes ever users and current users had higher odds of self-reported periodontal disease (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.18, 1.73) and bone loss (OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.30, 2.49) respectively compared to non-users after adjusting for smoking and potential confounders. In the regression models stratified by smoking status, e-cigarette was only significantly associated with self-reported periodontal disease variables among current smokers, but not among previous or never smokers. E-cigarette use is associated with self-reported periodontal disease. However, smoking status appears to explain the relationship between e-cigarette use and periodontal disease. This population-based cross-sectional study shows that e-cigarette use is associated with self-reported periodontal disease. Smoking status appears to explain the association. Dental professionals should consider the effect of conventional smoking and comprehend the risks of e-cigarette on oral health and its benefits when used as a smoking cessation aid.

Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between electronic health (eHealth) literacy and oral health outcomes, including the number of teeth and brushing frequency. Methods: A total of 478 participants were included in the study and assessed for their eHealth literacy levels. Demographic variables, including age, gender, income, and education, were collected. The participants’ number of teeth and brushing frequency were also recorded. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship between eHealth literacy and oral health outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic variables. Results: The study sample consisted of both males (66.5%) and females (33.5%), with a mean age of 31.95 years. Among the participants, 16.95% were classified as having inadequate eHealth literacy, 24.06% had problematic eHealth literacy, and the majority (59.00%) demonstrated sufficient eHealth literacy. There was a significant association between eHealth literacy and oral health outcomes. Individuals with problematic eHealth literacy had a higher likelihood of having a greater number of teeth (RR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.05–1.20, p < 0.001) compared to those with inadequate eHealth literacy. Similarly, individuals with sufficient eHealth literacy showed a higher likelihood of having more teeth (RR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.07–1.21, p < 0.001) compared to the inadequate eHealth literacy group controlling for age, gender, income, and education. Individuals with problematic eHealth literacy exhibited a tendency towards lower odds of irregular brushing (OR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.15–1.02, p = 0.054), although this result was marginally significant. In contrast, individuals with sufficient eHealth literacy had significantly lower odds of irregular brushing frequency (OR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.10–0.62, p = 0.003) compared to the inadequate eHealth literacy group. Conclusion: The findings suggest a positive association between eHealth literacy and oral health outcomes. Improving eHealth literacy may have implications for promoting better oral health behaviors and outcomes.