Association between trace elements and dental caries in the USA: analysis of data from serial cross-sectional surveys, 2010–2016

Abstract Background Dental caries is a localized deterioration of hard tissues caused by acidic by-products of bacterial fermentation of dietary carbohydrates. However, except for fluoride, there were few studies focusing on the direct association between other trace elements. This study aimed to ex...

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Main Authors: Taowu Chen, Yulin Chen, Heng Wang, Xueqing Li, Xin Guo, Hong Tan, Xiaoyan Zhang, Chunhui Li, Rui Shi, Chen Sun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-03-01
Series:BMC Oral Health
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-025-05763-3
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author Taowu Chen
Yulin Chen
Heng Wang
Xueqing Li
Xin Guo
Hong Tan
Xiaoyan Zhang
Chunhui Li
Rui Shi
Chen Sun
author_facet Taowu Chen
Yulin Chen
Heng Wang
Xueqing Li
Xin Guo
Hong Tan
Xiaoyan Zhang
Chunhui Li
Rui Shi
Chen Sun
author_sort Taowu Chen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Dental caries is a localized deterioration of hard tissues caused by acidic by-products of bacterial fermentation of dietary carbohydrates. However, except for fluoride, there were few studies focusing on the direct association between other trace elements. This study aimed to explore how other trace elements affect dental caries. Methods Data from 10,426 individuals were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) during the 2010–2016 cycle. The sample was restricted to individuals aged 20 years or older who had complete clinical oral examination data, and who had also completed blood (N = 10,086), serum (N = 5,152), or urine tests (N = 5,297). These three groups were weighted to represent multi-year data. The effects of 20 trace elements on dental caries experience were investigated using quartiles of continuous variables and weighted multivariate logistic regression models. Results The analysis revealed significant differences in trace elements (lead, cadmium, mercury, molybdenum, tin, and tungsten) between individuals with no dental caries experience and those with dental caries experience (P < 0.05). Adjusted results from the weighted multivariate logistic regression model showed that the odds ratios (OR) for following trace elements were significantly positively associated with dental caries experience: lead (OR = 1.0105; 95% CI 1.0030–1.0181; P = 0.0077), cobalt (OR = 1.0048; 95% CI 1.001–1.0087; P = 0.0154), cesium (OR = 1.0028; 95% CI 1.0011–1.0046; P = 0.0027), and arsenic (OR = 1.0002; 95% CI 1-1.0004; P = 0.0244), while iron (OR = 0.9974; 95% CI 0.9954–0.9994; P = 0.0116) showed the negative association. Conclusion The results of this cross-sectional study conducted on the U.S. population identified a statistically significant positive association between dental caries and trace elements, including lead, cobalt, cesium, and arsenic, while a negative association was observed with iron.
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spelling doaj-art-64d88fa390724c9faa934327cb7ca29b2025-08-20T02:40:43ZengBMCBMC Oral Health1472-68312025-03-0125111110.1186/s12903-025-05763-3Association between trace elements and dental caries in the USA: analysis of data from serial cross-sectional surveys, 2010–2016Taowu Chen0Yulin Chen1Heng Wang2Xueqing Li3Xin Guo4Hong Tan5Xiaoyan Zhang6Chunhui Li7Rui Shi8Chen Sun9Department of Periodontics and Oral Mucosal Diseases, The Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Periodontics and Oral Mucosal Diseases, The Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Periodontics and Oral Mucosal Diseases, The Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Periodontics and Oral Mucosal Diseases, The Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Periodontics and Oral Mucosal Diseases, The Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Periodontics and Oral Mucosal Diseases, The Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Periodontics and Oral Mucosal Diseases, The Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Periodontics and Oral Mucosal Diseases, The Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Periodontics and Oral Mucosal Diseases, The Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Periodontics and Oral Mucosal Diseases, The Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityAbstract Background Dental caries is a localized deterioration of hard tissues caused by acidic by-products of bacterial fermentation of dietary carbohydrates. However, except for fluoride, there were few studies focusing on the direct association between other trace elements. This study aimed to explore how other trace elements affect dental caries. Methods Data from 10,426 individuals were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) during the 2010–2016 cycle. The sample was restricted to individuals aged 20 years or older who had complete clinical oral examination data, and who had also completed blood (N = 10,086), serum (N = 5,152), or urine tests (N = 5,297). These three groups were weighted to represent multi-year data. The effects of 20 trace elements on dental caries experience were investigated using quartiles of continuous variables and weighted multivariate logistic regression models. Results The analysis revealed significant differences in trace elements (lead, cadmium, mercury, molybdenum, tin, and tungsten) between individuals with no dental caries experience and those with dental caries experience (P < 0.05). Adjusted results from the weighted multivariate logistic regression model showed that the odds ratios (OR) for following trace elements were significantly positively associated with dental caries experience: lead (OR = 1.0105; 95% CI 1.0030–1.0181; P = 0.0077), cobalt (OR = 1.0048; 95% CI 1.001–1.0087; P = 0.0154), cesium (OR = 1.0028; 95% CI 1.0011–1.0046; P = 0.0027), and arsenic (OR = 1.0002; 95% CI 1-1.0004; P = 0.0244), while iron (OR = 0.9974; 95% CI 0.9954–0.9994; P = 0.0116) showed the negative association. Conclusion The results of this cross-sectional study conducted on the U.S. population identified a statistically significant positive association between dental caries and trace elements, including lead, cobalt, cesium, and arsenic, while a negative association was observed with iron.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-025-05763-3Dental cariesTrace elementNHANESBloodUrineSerum
spellingShingle Taowu Chen
Yulin Chen
Heng Wang
Xueqing Li
Xin Guo
Hong Tan
Xiaoyan Zhang
Chunhui Li
Rui Shi
Chen Sun
Association between trace elements and dental caries in the USA: analysis of data from serial cross-sectional surveys, 2010–2016
BMC Oral Health
Dental caries
Trace element
NHANES
Blood
Urine
Serum
title Association between trace elements and dental caries in the USA: analysis of data from serial cross-sectional surveys, 2010–2016
title_full Association between trace elements and dental caries in the USA: analysis of data from serial cross-sectional surveys, 2010–2016
title_fullStr Association between trace elements and dental caries in the USA: analysis of data from serial cross-sectional surveys, 2010–2016
title_full_unstemmed Association between trace elements and dental caries in the USA: analysis of data from serial cross-sectional surveys, 2010–2016
title_short Association between trace elements and dental caries in the USA: analysis of data from serial cross-sectional surveys, 2010–2016
title_sort association between trace elements and dental caries in the usa analysis of data from serial cross sectional surveys 2010 2016
topic Dental caries
Trace element
NHANES
Blood
Urine
Serum
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-025-05763-3
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