LAUSR

PURPOSE To examine self-reported oral health among adults age 40 years and older with and without vision impairment. DESIGN Cross-sectional with a nationally representative sample. METHODS We used publicly available data from the Oral Health Module, last administered in 2008 of the National Health Interview Survey. Outcome variables included fair/poor oral health status, mouth condition compared to others the same age, mouth problems (mouth sores, difficulty eating, dry mouth, bad breath and/or jaw pain), teeth problems (toothache; broken/missing fillings or teeth; loose, crooked or stained teeth; and/or bleeding gums) and lack of social participation. Using descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression, we examined the association (p<0.05) between vision impairment and oral health outcomes by age-group, sociodemographic, and other explanatory variables. RESULTS Our study sample included 12,090 adults; 12.8% of adults aged 40-64 years reported vision impairment, and among them, 44.5% reported fair/poor oral health status and 47.2% reported any mouth problems. Among adults aged ≥65 years, 17.3% reported vision impairment, of whom 36.3% reported fair/poor oral health status, and 57.3 reported any mouth problems. There is a strong association between vision impairment and poorer oral health of adults; adults aged 40-64 years with vision impairment reported 90% to 150% greater odds of oral health problems, including fair/poor oral health status, mouth problems, and teeth problems, compared to people without vision impairment. CONCLUSIONS Oral health disparities exist between adults with and without vision impairment. Targeted interventions are required to improve oral health in this vulnerable population.