THERE is a link between good oral health and overall health in the elderly.
New research suggests that the less teeth you have may lead to poor chewing ability. It may, in turn, increase the risk of muscle loss, weakness and diabetes in older people.
Good oral health and dentures may prevent these conditions, according to a new study published in PLOS ONE.
The study found small but significantly increased risks of diabetes and sarcopenia (loss of muscle and weakness due to aging) among older adults with oral frailty.
Oral frailty is a measure based on the number of teeth that remains, the ability to chew and the resulting difficulty in eating and swallowing.
The study was conducted at Shimane University, in Izumo, Japan, a part of the Center for Community-Based Healthcare Research and Education study. This study collaborates with an annual health examination program in Ohnan, a small town in Japan’s Shimane prefecture.
The study involved 635 people aged between 40 and 74 years.
Researchers assessed their chewing ability, technically known as masticatory function. The study participants chewed gummy jelly as energetically as possible for 15 seconds then spit out what was left.
The pieces of the candy that remained were meticulously recorded.
The number of teeth each participant had were also noted. The calf circumference was measured twice for both legs. So were the skeletal muscle mass and handgrip strength of each participant.
A standard diagnostic algorithm that incorporates muscle strength, mass and physical performance was conducted to determine sarcopenia.
Diabetes conditions reported by the study participants were duly recorded.
The measurements were adjusted to factor in sex, age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity.
The study found that weaker handgrip and possible sarcopenia was observed among those with fewer remaining teeth and poor chewing ability.
Diabetes was also associated with less teeth and poor chewing ability.
However, there were no statistically significant associations with calf circumference or skeletal muscle mass.
“Our findings suggest that improvement in oral health, including the maintenance of masticatory function and remaining teeth, may contribute to the prevention of sarcopenia and diabetes mellitus in older adults,” the researchers observe.
The researchers suggest that those with fewer teeth and thus less ability to chew are more prone to diabetes because they spend less time eating and consume more foods that are rich in sugar.
They found that using dentures and preventing tooth loss in the first place could prevent oral health issues.
“According to our data, improving mastication and denture use may reduce the risk of diabetes and sarcopenia,” Dr. Shozo Yano, the study’s senior author, told Medical News Today.
Dr. Yano is part of the Nutrition Support Team at Shimane University Hospital.
The study has limitations, the researchers point out. For example, the associations between oral frailty, sarcopenia and diabetes were statistically small. The researchers say larger studies are needed.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim is the former Associate Dean of the UE College of Dentistry, former Dean of the College of Dentistry, National University, past president and honorary fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy, and honorary fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists and Honorary Life Member of Thai Association of Dental Implantology. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515./PN
