Oral status and resident well-being in a skilled nursing facility population

We studied the relationship between oral status and well-being in dentate and edentulous institutionalized residents through interviews with and dental examinations on 58 men and women. Oral status (measured by oral function, dental problem self report, soft tissue anomalies, and dry mouth) and well-being (measured by affect balance, self-esteem, health status, and nurse's ratings) were similar for dentate and edentulous subjects. Multiple regression analyses indicated oral status was significantly related to well-being. Unexpectedly, the extent of caries and plaque was also positively related to well-being, suggesting complex relationships between oral status markers and well-being in institutional settings.