Number of Teeth as a Predictor for Falls and Fractures in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Oral health is closely linked to overall health conditions, particularly in older adults.

To explore the longitudinal effects of the number of remaining natural teeth on the incidence of falls and fractures among Korean community-dwelling adults utilising the data from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study.

Participants were categorised into five categories based on their number of teeth: 0-4, 5-10, 11-20, 21-25 and more than 25. The number of remaining natural teeth was recorded using dental panoramic radiographs. Diagnostic criteria proposed by the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia were adopted to diagnose sarcopenia. The Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) was utilised to evaluate balance confidence. Incidences of falls and fractures were assessed at the baseline, 2-year and 4-year follow-ups.

Among the 1404 participants initially enrolled, 1275 remained at the 2-year follow-up and 1030 continued through the 4-year follow-up. Participants with fewer teeth at baseline had significantly higher rates of falls in the preceding year. Significant differences were observed in handgrip strength, walking speed, the 5-time chair stand test, Short Physical Performance Battery score, appendicular skeletal muscle mass index and ABC scales. In the Cox regression model, fewer than five teeth were significantly associated with increased risk of falls (HR, 1.606; 95% CI, 1.008-2.557; p = 0.046) and fractures (HR, 4.322; 95% CI, 1.037-18.015; p = 0.044) within the 4-year follow-up, after adjustments for potential confounders.

Having fewer than five dentitions in older adults is a significant predictor of falls and fall-related fractures over 4 years.