Association between dental health behaviours, mental/physical function and self-feeding ability among the elderly: a...

The aim of this study was to determine the association between dental health behaviour, mental/physical function and self-feeding ability among the elderly.

A total of 414 elderly dental patients aged 65 years and older participated in this study.

A survey was carried out for three years and seven months starting in January 1998 at the Chubu National Hospital. The patients or their carers were examined/interviewed about the severity of senile dementia, dental health behaviour, ability to rinse their mouths, ability to manage dentures, and ability to sit at a table during meals. To assess the association with self-feeding ability among the elderly, cut-offs were given for these variables, and then the odds ratios were calculated.

The strongest association to self-feeding ability was marked by inability to rinse their own mouth, followed by inability to manage dentures, inability to sit at a table during meals, severe senile dementia and less frequency of toothbrushing.

Elderly who have lost the feeding ability often could not maintain their dental health by themselves. Carers must provide not only a feeding service with acknowledgement of aspiration but oral care to prevent dental disease and fatal pneumonia in the elderly.