The Relationship Between Oral Health and Swallowing Function in Older Adults: A Scoping Review

We aimed to map current evidence on the relationship between oral health and swallowing function in older adults and identify key factors, knowledge gaps, and future directions.

We conducted a scoping review following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, searching PubMed, Embase, and EBSCO from 2014 to the present. Eligible publications included original research (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods), reviews, case studies, and clinical trials involving individuals aged ≥ 60 years that examined the interplay of oral health and swallowing. Two independent reviewers extracted data, followed by a descriptive, narrative synthesis.

Of 87 included studies, cross-sectional and cohort designs predominated. Poor oral health-dental loss, suboptimal denture hygiene, reduced bite force, reduced lingual pressure, and xerostomia-was consistently associated with malnutrition, aspiration pneumonia, and increased mortality risk. Interdisciplinary interventions incorporating professional oral care, prosthetic adjustments, and orofacial/swallowing rehabilitation demonstrated reductions in pneumonia rates and improvements in nutritional status and quality of life.

Oral health is integral to swallowing function and overall well-being in older populations. Standardized screening tools, robust trials, and integrated interventions are crucial to address both domains comprehensively. Future research should clarify mechanistic pathways linking oral health and swallowing, and strive toward unified scales capturing oral, nutritional, cognitive, and physical parameters.