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Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
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Associations between Oral Hypofunction Tests, Age, and Sex
Yukiko Hatanaka1, Junichi Furuya1, Yuji Sato1
1Department of Geriatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Showa University, 2-1-1 Kitasenzoku, Ohta-ku, Tokyo 145-8515, Japan.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|October 13, 2021
Summary
Older outpatients frequently experience oral hypofunction, a decline in oral function. Age significantly impacts oral function tests, suggesting a need to revise diagnostic reference values for better accuracy in geriatric care.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Oral Health
- Dental Medicine
Background:
- Aging and disease diminish oral function in older adults, increasing vulnerability to frailty.
- Effective management of declining oral function is crucial for geriatric outpatients.
- Oral hypofunction is diagnosed using seven key tests, but current reference values lack age and sex considerations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the prevalence of oral hypofunction in older outpatients.
- To identify factors associated with oral hypofunction diagnosis in this demographic.
- To evaluate the impact of age and sex on oral function test results.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 134 outpatients (mean age 75.2 years) attending a dental clinic for maintenance.
- Assessment of oral hypofunction using seven standardized tests.
- Statistical analysis to correlate age, sex, and test results with oral hypofunction diagnosis.
Main Results:
- 63% of older outpatients were diagnosed with oral hypofunction.
- Prevalence of oral hypofunction significantly increased with age, affecting all tested parameters.
- Oral hygiene and swallowing function showed no association with diagnosis, while occlusal force and masticatory function were higher in males, even after age adjustment.
Conclusions:
- Older outpatients exhibit a high prevalence of oral hypofunction.
- Current reference values for oral hypofunction tests may not be optimal for the aging population.
- Reconsideration of test reference values and selection criteria is recommended for accurate geriatric oral health assessment.
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