Association between shift work and periodontal disease in the Japanese manufacturing industry: A propensity score analysis

Shift work is common in the manufacturing industry and is associated with an increased risk of chronic disease due to irregular lifestyles. However, the dental health status of shift workers has rarely been assessed or reported. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between shift work and periodontal disease using data from dental and medical examinations conducted among individuals employed in the manufacturing industry. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from workers aged 40-64 years at a Japanese manufacturing facility who underwent dental examinations in 2023 and medical examinations in 2022. The examined variables included periodontal pocket depth (PPD), work schedules, general health status, and oral hygiene behavior. To examine the association between shift work and periodontal disease, we performed logistic regression and propensity score analyses separately for men and women using PPD ≥4 mm as the dependent variable. The study included 1866 daytime workers (1159 men and 707 women) and 468 shift workers (434 men and 34 women). Among men, shift workers had a significantly higher rate of PPD ≥4 mm than daytime workers in both analyses. However, no significant relationship between shift work and PPD ≥4 mm rates was observed among women in either analysis. These findings suggest a significantly higher likelihood of periodontal disease among male shift workers in the Japanese manufacturing industry.