Association between age people started working and missing teeth in an elderly population in Ecuador: Evidence from a cross-sectional study

Child labor has significant physical, psychological, and social consequences, which can persist into adulthood. This study investigates the association between the age at which an individual begins working and tooth loss in older adults in Ecuador. We analyzed data from the SABE 2009 survey (Survey of Health, Well-being, and Aging), using binary logistic regression to examine potential relationships. Our analytical sample comprised of 3,899 older adults from mainland Ecuador, with 42.50% having started working between the ages of 5 and 12. Unadjusted logistic regression results indicated that older adults who began working at ages 5–12 had a 42% higher risk of missing more than 4 teeth compared to those who started working at ages 18–25. After adjusting for potential confounders, the resulting risk was 28% higher than for the reference group [OR 1.28 95% CI 1.25–1.30]. Our findings demonstrate that early engagement in labor is a risk factor for tooth loss among older adults, displaying the long-term impacts of child labor on oral health. Health education and benefits should be provided to this vulnerable population for tooth loss prevention.