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Updated: May 28, 2026
08:47
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Risk of Edentulism Among Older Adults with Multimorbidity.
1Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK.
Dentistry Journal
|May 26, 2026
Summary
Older American adults with multiple chronic conditions face a higher risk of complete tooth loss. This highlights the importance of oral health promotion for individuals with multimorbidity.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Dental Epidemiology
Background:
- Multimorbidity, the presence of multiple chronic conditions, is common in older adults.
- Complete tooth loss (edentulism) significantly impacts quality of life and overall health in the elderly population.
- Understanding the longitudinal relationship between multimorbidity and edentulism is crucial for targeted health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between multimorbidity and the incidence of complete tooth loss among older American adults.
- To examine the role of socioeconomic factors and behavioral factors in this relationship.
Main Methods:
- Utilized longitudinal data from three waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS).
- Assessed multimorbidity based on five chronic conditions (diabetes, heart conditions, lung diseases, cancer, stroke) in 2012.
- Employed Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to analyze the relationship between 2012 multimorbidity and edentulism in 2018, excluding participants with prior tooth loss.
Main Results:
- Each additional chronic condition was associated with a 1.30 times higher odds of edentulism.
- SEM confirmed a positive association between multimorbidity and edentulism.
- Smoking and lower wealth were significantly associated with both multimorbidity and edentulism.
Conclusions:
- Older adults with multimorbidity demonstrate an increased probability of becoming edentate.
- These findings underscore the necessity of integrating oral health promotion into care strategies for individuals with multiple chronic conditions.
- Public health initiatives should address the interconnectedness of systemic health, socioeconomic factors, and oral health outcomes in aging populations.
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