Oral Health, Disability and Physical Function: Results From Studies of Older People in the United Kingdom and United States of America.
Eftychia Kotronia, S Goya Wannamethee, A Olia Papacosta and 6 others
PMID 31409558WHAT IT FOUND
In older adults, tooth loss, dry mouth, poor self-rated oral health, and several oral problems were associated with mobility limitations, self-care and household task problems, and slow gait or weak grip.
Key findings
01In the BRHS, tooth loss was associated with ADL problems, and edentulism was associated with IADL problems.
02In the HABC Study, tooth loss, fair/poor self-rated oral health, dry mouth, difficulty eating, and several oral problems were associated with mobility limitations and ADL problems.
03Dry mouth was associated with slow gait in the BRHS and weak grip in the HABC Study, and poor self-rated oral health was associated with slow gait in the HABC Study.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The analyses were cross-sectional, so they cannot show that oral health problems caused disability or poor physical function. The BRHS included men only, and the two studies differed in populations and oral health assessments. Participants may have been healthier than non-participants, and residual confounding remains because not all possible confounders were measured. Adjustment for self-rated general health weakened or removed some associations, so underlying health status may explain them.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these associations as evidence that treating tooth loss or dry mouth will improve mobility, self-care or household tasks. The study was cross-sectional and cannot show cause.