Dental health issues can increase the risk of frailty in older men, with dental problems such as tooth loss, tooth decay, dry mouth and gum disease exposing sufferers to further health decline. Frailty, or the vulnerability to health decline and the inability to handle daily living activities, is a significant problem for older adults that can lead to higher risks of falls, disabilities and potentially death. UK researchers have studied the connection between poor oral health and older adult risk for frailty, examining the results from two British men in an initial examination between 1978 to 1980, and comparing them to the results of 1,722 surviving participants between 2010 to 2012. Participants were between 71 and 92 years of age in the second half of the study. The examinations measured medical, social and health data, and included dental exam results. The examination found that 20 percent had no teeth remaining; 64 percent had less than 21 teeth; 54 percent had gum disease; 29 percent had a minimum of 7,735 dry mouth symptoms; and 34 percent had self-rated oral health of “fair to poor”. Of the participants, 11 percent had trouble eating. Those with dental issues were found to be more likely to be frail than those not suffering from oral health problems. Those suffering from tooth loss, dry mouth and oral health issues were particularly likely to be frail.
Dental health issues can increase the risk of frailty in older men, with dental problems such as tooth loss, tooth decay, dry mouth and gum disease exposing sufferers to further health decline. Frailty, or the vulnerability to health decline and the inability to handle daily living activities, is a significant problem for older adults that can lead to higher risks of falls, disabilities and potentially death. UK researchers have studied the connection between poor oral health and older adult risk for frailty, examining the results from 7,735 British men in an initial examination between 1978 to 1980, and comparing them to the results of 1,722 surviving participants between 2010 to 2012. Participants were between 71 and 92 years of age in the second half of the study. The examinations measured medical, social and health data, and included dental exam results. The examination found that 20 percent had no teeth remaining; 64 percent had less than 21 teeth; 54 percent had gum disease; 29 percent had a minimum of two dry mouth symptoms; and 34 percent had self-rated oral health of “fair to poor”. Of the participants, 11 percent had trouble eating. Those with dental issues were found to be more likely to be frail than those not suffering from oral health problems. Those suffering from tooth loss, dry mouth and oral health issues were particularly likely to be frail.