Associations of poor oral health with frailty and physical functioning in the oldest old: results from two studies in England and Japan.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Very few studies have examined the relationship of oral health with physical functioning and frailty in the oldest old (> 85 years). We examined the association of poor oral health with markers of disability, physical function and frailty in studies of oldest old in England and Japan.

Methods

The Newcastle 85+ Study in England (n = 853) and the Tokyo Oldest Old Survey on Total Health (TOOTH; n = 542) comprise random samples of people aged > 85 years. Oral health markers included tooth loss, dryness of mouth, difficulty swallowing and difficulty eating due to dental problems. Physical functioning was based on grip strength and gait speed; disability was assessed as mobility limitations. Frailty was ascertained using the Fried frailty phenotype. Cross-sectional anal

SUBMITTER: Albani V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7977173 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature