Research Questions: 1. What are the specific correlations between oral conditions (e.g., periodontal disease, caries, oral mucosal lesions) and major systemic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular, diabetes, neurodegenerative, respiratory diseases, aging-related diseases) in the UK Biobank population? 2. Are oral health factors independent risk factors for systemic disease onset/progression? 3. What are the potential biological mechanisms underlying these oral-systemic associations?
Research Objectives: 1. Systematically analyze epidemiological associations between UK Biobank-derived oral health indicators (assessments, questionnaires, imaging) and key systemic disease incidence/prevalence using large-scale cohort data. 2. Adjust for confounders to clarify the independent oral-systemic association. 3. Explore the mediating role of oral microbiota, inflammatory markers, and metabolic parameters in oral-systemic links to elucidate biological pathways. 4. Provide evidence-based insights for integrated oral-systemic disease prevention/management strategies to guide clinical practice and public health policies.
Scientific Rationale: Oral health is increasingly recognized as integral to overall health, with growing evidence of bidirectional oral-systemic disease links. However, existing studies are limited by small sample sizes, inconsistent oral health definitions, and inadequate confounder adjustment. The UK Biobank’s comprehensive oral health data linked to detailed clinical, demographic, and biological data offers a unique resource. This large population-based cohort enables robust analysis of oral-systemic correlations, confounder clarification, and mechanism exploration. This research advances understanding of the oral-systemic axis, with critical clinical and public health implications.
