Relationship between oral impacts on daily performance and chewing ability among independent elders residing in Daejeon City, Korea

The aim of this study was to assess the association between oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) measured by the oral impacts on daily performances (OIDP) inventory and chewing ability.

The cluster sampling method was used to select a sample of 634 socially active independent community-dwelling elders. An oral examination was conducted and a questionnaire was implemented. After bivariate comparisons, a multivariable two-level logistic model was developed for the dichotomous OIDP indicator using the generalised linear mixed model.

The mean age of the participants was 74 years and 56.6% were women. Eight percent were edentulous, and the mean number of teeth was 17.7. Overall, 39.3% of participants had one or more oral impacts on daily performance. Elders with chewing ability of 0-49, 50-74 and 75-99% were approximately 120, 20 and seven times more likely to have oral impacts compared with those with full chewing ability, respectively. Elders reporting their oral health as 'fair' or 'better' were 68% less likely to have oral impacts than those with poor or very poor self-reported oral health.

Among independent elders, amelioration of chewing ability including delivery of appropriate prosthodontic care might independently contribute to improving OHRQoL of elders by improving their physical, psychological and social wellbeing.