Oral Frailty and Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Oral Health Challenges in the Geriatric Population

Oral frailty is an emerging multidimensional condition in the geriatric population, significantly affecting functional ability, systemic health, and quality of life.

Systematic review was conducted to evaluate oral health challenges and quantify the effectiveness of oral health interventions in older adults.

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses strategy. Electronic databases including Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were assessed up to January 2026. Studies involving individuals aged ≥60 years assessing oral frailty, oral function, or related outcomes were included. A total of 40 studies were considered for qualitative synthesis, of which 22 were eligible for quantitative meta-analysis. Standardized mean differences (SMD) with a random-effects model were used to compute effect sizes.

Oral health interventions demonstrated a significant overall moderate effect (SMD = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.32-0.64; P < 0.001) in improving geriatric outcomes. Subgroup analysis showed the highest impact for oral functional interventions (SMD = 0.52), followed by combined nutritional and oral interventions (SMD = 0.50). Preventive and prosthodontic approaches showed significant benefits.

Oral health interventions significantly improve oral and systemic outcomes in the elderly. Multidisciplinary and function-oriented strategies provide the greatest benefit, emphasizing the need for integrated geriatric oral healthcare models.