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Washington DC
According to a new study, older people with tooth loss are at higher risk for oral health problems and malnutrition.
The study, published in the Journal of Aging Research and Clinical Practice, analyzed the health records of 107 seniors living in the community and treated at the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine Clinic between 2015 and 2016.
The results showed that more than 25% of the patients were malnourished or threatened with malnutrition. The researchers observed a trend in which patients with 10 to 19 teeth were more likely to suffer from malnutrition.
Patients classified as malnourished had higher rates of weight loss, ate less often and reported dementia and / or depression and serious illness more often than those with normal nutritional status.
"The mouth is the gateway for the consumption of food and liquids.If its integrity is impaired, the functional ability of an individual to consume an adequate diet could suffer," he said. said Rena Zelig, senior author, director of the Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition Program at the Rutgers School of Health Professions.
According to Zelig, the results showed that dental clinics are the ideal place to perform nutritional status screenings, as they help identify patients who may not regularly consult a health care provider. primary school and at risk of malnutrition.
"Clinicians can also refer patients to dietitians and community support programs such as Meals on Wheels to prevent a further decline in nutritional status," she added.
This was the first part of a mixed-methods grant aimed at researching associations between tooth loss and nutritional status in the elderly. The second part of the grant builds on these findings and qualitatively studies the eating experience and quality of life of older adults in the community through qualitative interviews.
The study paved the way for more in-depth research on the relationships between tooth loss and the risk of malnutrition and the impact of tooth loss on food experience and quality of life related to food. – ANI
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