Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41614714›Full record

ArticleClinical and translational gastroenterology2026

Association Between Oral Health and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Among US Adults.

Chukwuemeka E Ogbu, Abhishek Goel, Anjali Gupta, Jagroop Doad, Chisa Oparanma, Maureen Ezechukwu, Chinazor Umerah, A Sidney Barritt

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Article in Clinical and translational gastroenterology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Chukwuemeka E OgbuDepartment of Internal Medicine, Cape Fear Valley Health, Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9958-8478
Abhishek GoelDepartment of Internal Medicine, Cape Fear Valley Health, Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA.
Anjali GuptaSchool of Osteopathic Medicine, Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina, USA.
Jagroop DoadDepartment of Internal Medicine, Corewell Health, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.
Chisa OparanmaDepartment of Family Medicine, St. Joseph's Medical Center, Yonkers, New York, USA.
Maureen EzechukwuDepartment of Internal Medicine, Cape Fear Valley Health, Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA.
Chinazor UmerahDepartment of Internal Medicine, Cape Fear Valley Health, Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA.
A Sidney BarrittDepartment of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA .

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMetabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease, yet extrametabolic contributors such as oral health remain underexplored. While periodontitis has been linked to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, untreated caries and unmet dental care needs have been less examined under new MASLD criteria. We evaluated associations between examiner-assessed oral health indicators and MASLD in a nationally representative sample of US adults.

methodsWe analyzed 2,528 adults aged 18 years or older from the 2017-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with valid liver transient elastography. MASLD was defined as steatosis (controlled attenuation parameter ≥285 dB/m) plus ≥1 metabolic risk factor. Examined oral health indicators included examiner-assessed need for dental care, decayed teeth, gum disease, and a composite of decayed teeth or gum disease. Survey-weighted logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) adjusted for sociodemographic and behavioral factors.

resultsMASLD prevalence was 38.9%. In fully adjusted models, needing dental care (OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.02-1.95) and having decayed teeth (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.05-2.20) were associated with higher MASLD odds. After false discovery rate correction, only dental care need remained significant (q = 0.043). Sex-stratified analyses revealed pronounced associations in women, who had 91% higher MASLD odds if dental care was needed (OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.18-3.10) and 156% higher odds with decayed teeth (OR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.35-4.84). Significant associations were also observed in adults aged 45-59 and 60 years or older. DISCUSSION: Unmet dental needs and caries are associated with MASLD, with particularly strong associations observed in women. These findings highlight oral health as a potential marker for MASLD risk and underscore the value of integrated oral-systemic assessments in preventive care.

Indexed as

Dental CariesNon-alcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseOral HealthAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesDental CareElasticity Imaging TechniquesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNutrition SurveysPrevalenceRisk FactorsUnited Statesdental cariesmetabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)NHANESoral healthperiodontal disease

Identifiers

PMID41614714
PMCPMC13102424

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.