(1) Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and edentulism are major public health challenges with shared risk factors and overlapping inflammatory pathways. This study investigates the association between complete tooth loss and CVD. (2) Methods: Data were analyzed from the 2015–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) dataset using Poisson regression analysis to examine the relationship between CVD and complete edentulism, adjusting for age, sex, education, family income-to-poverty ratio, race/ethnicity, diabetes status, and BMI. Of the 11,287 participants, 1763 individuals (15.62%) were completely edentulous, and 9524 (84.38%) retained some or all of their dentition. (3) Results: Individuals with cardiovascular conditions, including myocardial infarction (PR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.23–1.98), coronary heart disease (PR = 1.44; 95% CI: 1.13–1.85), congestive heart failure (PR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.22–2.07), and stroke (PR = 1.46; 95% CI: 1.13–1.90), demonstrated a higher prevalence of complete edentulism compared to those without these conditions, after adjusting for key demographic and health-related confounders (p < 0.01). (4) Conclusions: These findings suggest a statistical association between CVD and complete edentulism in U.S. adults. However, due to the cross-sectional nature of this study, causal relationships cannot be inferred, and further longitudinal studies are needed to understand the bidirectional mechanisms between CVD and complete edentulism.

(1) Background: Benzene, environmental pollutant, is linked to various adverse health effects, but its impact on oral health remains under-explored. This study examines the association between blood benzene levels and periodontitis, a progressive oral inflammatory condition, using a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. (2) Methods: Cross sectional data from the 2013–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed. Periodontitis was defined per CDC/AAP. Three weighted multivariable logistic regression models determined the association between blood benzene levels and periodontal severity, adjusting for potential confounders. A structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis evaluated cotinine, smoking biomarker, as a mediator in the relationship between benzene and severe periodontitis. (3) Results: The ordinal logistic regression showed a statistically significant association (AOR = 2.0, p = 0.02) between blood benzene levels and periodontal severity. A one unit increase in blood benzene was associated twice the odds of progressing to a higher category of periodontitis. Benzene exposure was significantly linked to severe periodontitis (AOR = 2.9, p = 0.001). SEM analysis indicated cotinine mediates the relationship between blood benzene and sever periodontitis. (4) Conclusions: This study provides evidence that higher blood benzene levels are associated with severe periodontitis. The findings suggest that cotinine, a biomarker of smoking, mediates the relationship between benzene exposure and severe periodontitis.

(1) Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and edentulism are major public health challenges with shared risk factors and overlapping inflammatory pathways. (2) Methods: This study investigates the association between complete tooth loss and cardiovascular disease in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults using data from the 2015–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). A cross-sectional analysis was conducted among adults aged ≥30 years, incorporating clinically assessed dental status and self-reported CVD outcomes. Weighted multivariate logistic regression models were conducted to investigate the relationship between complete edentulism and different cardiovascular conditions adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, income, BMI, and diabetes status. 3) Results: Individuals with cardiovascular conditions, including coronary heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and congestive heart failure, had higher odds of complete edentulism compared to those without cardiovascular conditions, with odds ratios ranging from 1.60 to 1.85 (p < 0.01). Older age, lower educational attainment, and lower income were also associated with higher odds of tooth loss. (4) Conclusions: This study contributes further to the existing evidence of oral-systemic health link, showing that individuals with cardiovascular conditions are more likely to be edentulous.

(1) Background: Periodontal disease (PD) is a chronic inflammatory condition with potential systemic manifestations. This study examined the association between PD and selected blood biomarkers—white blood cell (WBC) count, serum albumin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)—using nationally representative data from the 2013–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). (2) Methods: Cross sectional data from the 2013–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed. Periodontitis was defined per CDC/AAP. Three weighted multivariable logistic regression models determined the association between blood benzene levels and periodontal severity, adjusting for potential confounders. Among 4669 participants, 37.2% had PD (3) Results: In multivariable-adjusted models, individuals with higher white blood cell counts (OR = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.04–1.11; p < 0.001) and higher MCHC values (OR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.06–1.22; p < 0.001) exhibited greater odds of periodontal disease, whereas lower serum albumin levels were independently associated with PD (OR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.62–0.93; p = 0.011), after adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral covariates. (4) Conclusions: These findings suggest a statistical association between PD and systemic hematologic alterations in U.S. adults. However, due to the cross-sectional nature of this study, causal relationships cannot be inferred, and further longitudinal studies are needed to understand the mechanisms between PD and blood biomarkers.

Background: Periodontal disease (PD) is a chronic inflammatory condition linked to systemic immunologic and metabolic alterations. This study evaluated associations between PD and three routinely measured blood biomarkers—white blood cell (WBC) count, serum albumin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)—using data from 4669 adults aged ≥30 years in the 2013–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods: PD was defined dichotomously according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/American Academy of Periodontology (CDC/AAP) surveillance criteria. All analyses incorporated NHANES sampling weights, strata, and primary sampling units. Weighted descriptive statistics compared characteristics by PD status. Stepwise survey-weighted logistic regression examined associations between biomarkers and PD, adjusting for sociodemographic, behavioral, and health-related confounders. Restricted cubic splines assessed nonlinearity, and biomarker effects were additionally scaled per standard deviation (SD). Results: Higher WBC counts (OR = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.04–1.11) and higher MCHC values (OR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.06–1.22) were positively associated with PD, whereas serum albumin showed an inverse association (OR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.62–0.93). Spline models demonstrated significant nonlinear components for all biomarkers, and SD-scaled estimates confirmed consistent gradients. Conclusions: These findings support links between periodontal inflammation and systemic hematologic alterations. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify underlying mechanisms.