Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 19, 2026
08:47
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Associations Between Multimorbidity, Polypharmacy and Oral Conditions in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and
Kittipit Srisanoi1,2, Sabrina Maniewicz3, Claudio Rodrigues Leles1,4
1Clinic of General, Special Care, and Geriatric Dentistry, Center for Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Gerodontology
|May 18, 2026
Summary
Polypharmacy, the use of multiple medications, is linked to dry mouth in older adults, potentially independent of other health conditions. More research is needed to understand the full impact on oral health.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Oral Health Research
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Older adults (75+ years) often experience multimorbidity and polypharmacy.
- Understanding the oral health implications of these conditions is crucial for geriatric care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze the association between multimorbidity and polypharmacy with oral health in older adults.
- To address the PECO question: 'What is the occurrence, association, and impact of multimorbidity and polypharmacy on oral conditions and their management in older adults?'
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies identified through MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library.
- Screening of 3433 studies published up to April 2025.
- Risk of bias assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale; eligible studies descriptively analyzed and meta-analyzed if data permitted.
Main Results:
- Polypharmacy significantly associated with dry mouth (OR=2.05; 95% CI: 1.31-3.22) and hyposalivation.
- Higher medication counts linked to dry mouth.
- Polypharmacy associated with poorer oral health assessment tool (OHAT) scores.
- Multimorbidity showed inconsistent associations with dry mouth and OHAT scores.
- Associations with tooth count, edentulism, and oral function were inconsistent for both exposures.
Conclusions:
- Polypharmacy may independently affect dry mouth and hyposalivation in older adults.
- The impact of multimorbidity and polypharmacy on other oral conditions requires further investigation.
- High-quality longitudinal studies are needed to establish causal relationships.
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