Relationship between Oral Hypofunction, and Protein Intake: A Cross-Sectional Study in Local Community-Dwelling Adults

Abstract

Few studies have investigated the relationship between nutritional status and comprehensive assessment of oral hypofunction, especially protein intake-related sarcopenia. Thus, we explored these relationships in a large-scale cross-sectional cohort study using the seven-item evaluation for oral hypofunction and Diet History Questionnaire for nutritional assessment. We used the data from 1004 individuals who participated in the 2019 health survey of the residents of Tarumizu City, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan for analysis. We found that individuals with oral hypofunction were significantly older with a lower skeletal muscle index. Although there were few foods that had a significant difference between the groups with and without oral hypofunction, the consumption of beans and meats was significantly lower in women and men in the oral hypofunction group, respectively. According to the lower limit of the tentative dietary goal defined in Japan, comprehensive evaluation of oral hypofunction was significantly and independently associated with protein intake in both men and women (odds ratio, 1.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.21–2.35). In conclusion, we found that oral hypofunction was associated with targeted protein intake for sarcopenia and frailty prevention in middle-aged and older community-dwelling adults. Comprehensive evaluation of oral function with intervention in cases of hypofunction could inform clinicians to better prevent sarcopenia.

The Impact of Nutrition and Oral Function Exercise on among Community-Dwelling Older People

“…Previous studies have revealed the relationship between the number of remaining teeth and nutritional status [ 28 , 29 ] and between masticatory function and nutritional status [ 30 , 31 ]. Moreover, a previous study reported an association between nutritional status and poor oral function [ 32 ]. However, few studies have evaluated the relationship between tongue pressure improvement and nutrient intake.…”

“…However, few studies have evaluated the relationship between tongue pressure improvement and nutrient intake. Nishi et al also reported that oral hypofunction was significantly and independently associated with protein intake in both men and women [ 32 ]. In addition, Nagano et al reported the need for appropriate protein intake to improve tongue strength [ 33 ].…”

Protein Intake and Oral Health in Older Adults—A Narrative Review

“…Total daily calories from protein should ideally provide between the mid-to-higher end of the acceptable macronutrient distribution range of 10–35% of total daily calories in order to maintain healthy ageing, and positively influence both general and oral health. While decreased protein intake is a known risk factor for frailty and sarcopenia in older adults [ 45 ], few studies have been conducted on protein intake and oral health in older adults.…”

“…Previous work has shown that there are associations between low protein intake and malnutrition risk [ 29 , 43 , 44 , 45 ], and also higher prevalence of oral health problems in older adults [ 19 , 46 , 47 , 48 ]. However, there is insufficient evidence to link protein intake directly to oral health without being mediated by malnutrition.…”

Relationship between skeletal bone mineral density and subjective masticatory difficulty

“…The main finding from the present study was significant association between skeletal BMD and subjective masticatory function in the elder populations, particularly in females. Oral hypofunction in elderly could have impact on maintaining bone and muscle mass through diverse pathways including insufficient nutritional intake and inflammatory mechanisms [41][42][43]. The mechanical forces applied to the bone that originate from associated muscles are crucial to maintain skeletal health and bony integrity [44][45][46].…”