Effect of circadian rhythm on decayed, missing, filled teeth index and endodontic treatment

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the association between individuals’ circadian typology and oral health status, as measured by the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index, as well as the prevalence of endodontic treatment.
Methods: Chronotypes were determined using the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, which was administered through face-to-face interviews. The questionnaire comprised 26 items and was completed by 349 participants. In addition, each participant’s oral health status was evaluated by recording their DMFT index and the presence of endodontically treated teeth through clinical examination and dental records. Statistical analyses of continuous variables, including means and standard deviations, were conducted using chi-square and analysis of variance tests. A p-value of <0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.
Results: No statistically significant differences were observed among the three chronotype groups (morning-, intermediate-, and evening-types) regarding the mean number of endodontically treated teeth (p>0.05). However, a significant difference in DMFT scores was found across the chronotype groups (p<0.05), with the lowest values observed in morning-types (4.14±1.952) and the highest in evening-types (5.48±2.686).
Conclusion: The results suggested that circadian rhythm may influence oral health status. Specifically, individuals with an evening-types appear to exhibit a greater predisposition to dental caries, which may increase their risk of requiring endodontic treatment if caries remain untreated.

Keywords: Circadian rhythm, DMFT index, endodontics.