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Updated: Sep 24, 2025
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Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
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Eating problems among old home care clients
Annina Salmi1, Kaija Komulainen1, Annamari Nihtilä1,2
1Institute of Dentistry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Clinical and Experimental Dental Research
|May 9, 2022
Summary
Eating problems like poor appetite, chewing, and swallowing difficulties are common in older adults receiving home care. Oral health issues significantly increase the risk of these eating problems, highlighting the need for integrated care.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Nutrition Science
- Oral Health
Background:
- Eating problems are prevalent in older adults, impacting their nutritional status and quality of life.
- Home care clients represent a vulnerable population with unique challenges related to eating and oral health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of self-reported eating problems in older home care clients.
- To identify factors associated with eating problems, assessed by both clinical nutritionists and dental hygienists.
Main Methods:
- The study involved 250 participants aged 75+ years from the Nutrition, Oral Health and Medication (NutOrMed) study in Finland.
- Data were collected through structured interviews conducted in participants' homes, with separate screening by a clinical nutritionist and a dental hygienist.
Main Results:
- 29% reported poor appetite, 20% chewing problems, and 14% swallowing problems (nutritionist screen).
- 18% reported oral health-related eating problems (dental hygienist screen).
- Xerostomia and poor self-reported oral health increased chewing problem risk. Edentulism and denture issues increased oral health-related eating problem risk.
Conclusions:
- Eating problems are common among older home care recipients.
- Oral health status is a significant determinant of eating problems in this population.
- Interprofessional collaboration between healthcare professionals is crucial for effective identification and management of eating problems in older adults.
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