Elderly patients with lower-jaw mobility require careful food texture modification: A cohort study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nutrition Science
• Oral Health

Background:

• Limited research exists on the link between lower-jaw mobility and food texture choices in elderly individuals.
• This study addresses the gap by investigating if reduced lower-jaw mobility influences the need for texture-modified diets in older patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between lower-jaw mobility and the degree of food texture modification in elderly patients.
• To determine if impaired jaw movement necessitates altered food textures for safe and adequate oral intake.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study involving inpatients aged 65 years and older with pneumonia or urinary tract infection.
• Lower-jaw mobility was assessed by measuring mandibular movement (approx. 1 cm).
• Food texture at discharge was categorized using the Japanese Dysphagia Diet 2013 standards (non per os to normal meal).

Main Results:

• Patients with lower-jaw mobility (n=38) showed significantly lower food texture codes compared to those without mobility issues (n=251) (P < 0.001).
• A higher percentage of patients with lower-jaw mobility required texture-modified diets (e.g., code 4, 39.5%) or were non per os (36.8%) versus the non-mobility group.
• These findings remained significant after adjusting for confounding factors in multivariate analysis.

Conclusions:

• Elderly patients with limited lower-jaw mobility are frequently restricted to texture-modified foods.
• Jaw mobility assessment is simple, feasible for non-medical staff, and can aid in identifying elderly individuals needing dietary modifications.
• Regular assessment of lower-jaw mobility could be a valuable tool for proactive dietary management in geriatric care.