Association of dry tongue to pyrexia in long-term hospitalized patients.

Background: The oral care of hospitalized elderly patients is thought to have a preventive effect on aspiration pneumonia, which is one of the main causes of fever. Although the decreased secretion of saliva is frequently observed in elderly people, no study has examined how a dry oral cavity affects aspiration.

Objective: This study was performed to assess the association of dry tongue to pyrexia.

Association between alveolar bone loss and elevated serum C-reactive protein in Japanese men.

Background: Moderate elevation of C-reactive protein (CRP) is thought to predict type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD), both of which are associated with periodontitis. Recent studies indicate that periodontal disease is associated with moderate elevation of CRP; however, the relationship between alveolar bone loss (ABL) and CRP elevation is unclear.

Methods: A total of 179 Japanese men aged 50 to 54 years old, with at least 10 teeth, were examined as part of a comprehensive health examination before retirement from the Japan Self-Defense Force.