Poor oral health may significantly reduce life expectancy, according to a new Japanese study that calls for better dental maintenance among older adults.
Frail oral health, defined as having fewer remaining teeth, dry mouth, trouble speaking, and difficulty chewing and swallowing, can reflect poor general health in ageing people.
Someone may have most of their natural teeth but still be considered “orally frail” if they suffer chewing problems as mouth health also involves muscle strength, saliva, and swallowing ability.
Such oral frailty, Japanese researchers found, was strongly tied to lower chances of healthy ageing.
“Dental visits may mitigate this outcome in older adults,” they noted in the latest study, published in the journal Geriatrics & Gerontology International.
The researchers assessed the oral health of 11,080 adults in Japan aged 65 or above.
The study participants were asked whether they had visited a dentist in the previous six months and were followed for an average of six years, using the national disability and mortality records, to see if they stayed healthy, developed disabilities, or passed away.
Having had a recent dental visit was treated as a sign that the participant maintained their oral health.
The researchers also estimated each participant’s healthy life expectancy, a measure of how many years one could live without disability or serious health decline.
Of the 11,080 adults assessed, 12 per cent had oral frailty at the start of the study and about 50 per cent had visited a dentist in the past six months. Those with oral frailty were 23 per cent more likely to move from healthy to disability during the follow-up period compared to those without. And the orally frail participants were 34 per cent more likely to die during follow-up.
The researchers recommend that older adults see a dentist regularly to avoid or delay decline in oral function and help them stay healthier and more independent for longer.
Although the findings do not prove that dental visits directly lead to better health outcomes, the study says the association is strong and consistent across different groups.
“These findings suggest the need for public health policies promoting oral health, which could significantly improve the quality of life and reduce disability burden among older adults,” it notes.