A Two-Year Longitudinal Study of the Association between Oral Frailty and Deteriorating Nutritional Status among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Self Cite

Oral hypofunction, resulting from a combined decrease in multiple oral functions, may affect systemic-condition deterioration; however, few studies have examined the association between oral hypofunction and general health among older adults. In this cross-sectional study, we examined the relationship between oral hypofunction and sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults. We included 878 adults (268 men and 610 women, mean age 76.5 ± 8.3 years). Tongue coating index, oral moisture, occlusal force, oral diadochokinesis (/pa/,/ta/,/ka/), tongue pressure, mas-ticatory function, and swallowing function were evaluated as indicators of oral hypofunction. Grip strength, gait speed, and skeletal muscle mass index were measured as diagnostic sarcopenia parameters. The association between oral hypofunction and sarcopenia was examined via logistic regression using sarcopenia as the dependent variable. Oral hypofunction prevalence was 50.5% overall, 40.3% in men, and 54.9% in women. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 18.6% overall, 9.7% in men, and 22.5% in women. A logistic regression showed oral hypofunction, age, body mass index, higher-level functional capacity, and serum albumin level were significantly associated with sarcopenia. Sarcopenia occurred at an increased frequency in patients diagnosed with oral hypofunction (odds ratio: 1.59, 95% confidence interval: 1.02–2.47); accordingly, oral hypofunction appears to be significantly associated with sarcopenia.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between Oral Hypofunction and Sarcopenia in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Otassha Study

Kugimiya

Iwasaki

Ohara

et al. 2021

Self Cite

“…Gait speed, a subdomain of physical frailty, was significantly associated with oral frailty. Oral frailty may cause physical frailty, as the former may affect nutritional status among older adults and lead to weight loss [8]. Xue et al have suggested a frailty cycle model, whereby weight loss leads to weakness, exhaustion, and low gait speed [2].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Oral frailty is defined as poor oral status that increases the risk of physical frailty, sarcopenia, long-term care needs, and premature mortality [5]. Moreover, oral frailty has been associated with social frailty and malnutrition, both of which increase the risk of physical frailty [6][7][8][9][10][11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association between Physical Frailty Subdomains and Oral Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Komatsu

Nagai

Hirabayashi

et al. 2021

This cross-sectional study aimed to demonstrate the association between physical frailty subdomains and oral frailty. This study involved community-dwelling older adults (aged ≥65 years). Physical frailty was assessed with the Japanese version of the Cardiovascular Health Study criteria. Oral frailty was defined as limitations in at least three of six domains. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between physical frailty risk and oral frailty. In addition, we examined the association between physical frailty subdomains (gait speed, grip strength, exhaustion, low physical activity, and weight loss) and oral frailty. A total of 380 participants were recruited for this study. Overall, 18% and 14% of the participants were at risk of physical frailty and had oral frailty, respectively. Physical frailty risk (odds ratio (OR) = 2.40, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22–4.75, p = 0.012) was associated with oral frailty in multivariate analysis. In secondary analysis, among physical frailty subdomains, gait speed (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.73–0.97, p = 0.019) was associated with oral frailty. The present findings suggest that physical frailty is closely related to oral frailty. Among physical frailty subdomains, decreased gait speed in particular is an important indicator related to the development of oral frailty.

“…It has been reported that poor oral health is closely associated with adverse health outcomes [ 16 , 20 , 21 ]. Malnutrition is attributed to poor oral status and function [ 15 , 22 ], resulting in sarcopenia and physical frailty [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. Malnutrition has been considered the indirect effect of poor oral health on systemic condition.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been reported that these functions are also impaired by aging and poor oral management, known as oral frailty, oral sarcopenia, and oral hypofunction [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. The adverse effects of a decline of these functions on systemic and nutritional status have been reported [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]. Conversely, occlusal support is also important in oral functions, especially mastication [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Significance of Posterior Occlusal Support of Teeth and Removable Prostheses in Oral Functions and Standing Motion

Oki

Ogino

Takamoto

et al. 2021

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of posterior occlusal support of natural teeth and artificial teeth on oral functions and standing motion. Patients who had been treated with removable prostheses were enrolled as the subjects. Their systemic conditions (body mass index (BMI) and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI)) were recorded. The subjects were classified into two groups according to a modified Eichner index: B1–3 (with posterior occlusal support) and B4C (without posterior occlusal support). Maximum occlusal force (MOF), masticatory performance (MP), and standing motion (sway and strength) were evaluated for cases with and without removable prostheses. There were no significant differences in BMI and SMI between the B1–3 group and the B4C group. The subjects with removable prostheses demonstrated significantly higher values in MOF, MP, and sway and strength than the subjects without removable prostheses. The comparison of oral functions between the B1–3 group and the B4C group revealed that the positive effect of posterior occlusal support of natural teeth and removable prostheses and the significant positive effects of posterior occlusal support on standing motion were partly observed in these comparisons. Posterior occlusal support of natural teeth and even of removable prostheses may contribute to the enhancement of oral functions and standing motion.