Longitudinal Association Between Self-Reported Chewing Difficulty and Depression Among Older Japanese Adults Using...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Dental Medicine

Background:

• Depression in older adults is associated with negative health outcomes, including reduced daily functioning and quality of life.
• While oral health issues like chewing difficulty are linked to depression, the specific relationship with subjective chewing ability and tooth count is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between self-reported chewing ability and the onset of depression in Japanese adults aged 65 and older.
• To explore the role of the number of teeth in the development of depression within this demographic.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study utilized Japan's National Health Insurance claims data from 23,417 individuals aged 65+.
• Participants reporting chewing difficulties or having a low number of teeth were identified.
• Multivariate logistic regression analyzed the relationship between chewing difficulty, tooth count, and new depression diagnoses over a one-year follow-up period.

Main Results:

• A total of 462 (2.0%) participants were newly diagnosed with depression.
• Self-reported chewing difficulty was significantly associated with an increased risk of depression onset (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.00-1.58).
• No significant association was found between the number of teeth and depression onset.

Conclusions:

• Self-reported chewing difficulty is a significant risk factor for depression in older adults.
• Addressing oral health, specifically chewing ability, is important for preventing depression in the elderly.
• Findings highlight the need for integrated oral health care within geriatric mental health strategies.