Association Between Ethylene Oxide Exposure and Complete Edentulism in United States Adults

(1) Background: Ethylene oxide (EtO), an environmental pollutant, has been linked to adverse health outcomes through its genotoxic, oxidative stress inducing, and alkylating properties, including potential impacts on oral health. This study explores the association between EtO serum levels and complete edentulism. (2) Methods: Data were analyzed from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) dataset using logistic regression analysis to examine the relationship between EtO serum levels and complete edentulism, adjusting for age, sex, education, race, and diabetes status, and periodontal disease, including a total of 19,225 participants. Of the 19,225 participants, 4933 individuals (25.66%) were completely edentulous, and 14,292 (74.34%) were not. (3) Results: Higher EtO serum levels were associated with increased odds of complete edentulism (OR = 1.61; 95% CI = 1.35-1.93; <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001), adjusting for the confounders mentioned above. (4) Conclusions: This analysis of a representative sample of the U.S. adult population showed that individuals exposed to higher levels of EtO had total tooth loss, underscoring the importance of addressing environmental factors in oral health. Further research is needed to understand the mechanism of EtO exposure on oral health.