Association Between Oral Health and Frailty

Abstract

The demographic transition in the past few decades led to a rapid increase in the ageing populations around the world. One of the most profound public health implications of the ageing population is frailty. Frailty is characterized by a decline in the function across physiological systems and an increase of vulnerability against stressors. Furthermore, it is associated with many adverse health outcomes and exerts financial burdens on healthcare systems. The mechanism of frailty development is a multifactorial dynamic process, oral health could be associated with frailty through different pathways. One of the most plausible pathways is the impact of poor oral health on nutritional status. Aim: The aim of the thesis was to explore the interrelationship between oral health and frailty using frailty phenotype and frailty index and the role of nutrition among older adults. The objectives of the thesis were to examine the association between the number of teeth, periodontal disease, self-rated oral health and frailty, and to assess whether nutritional status and nutritional intake mediate this association.