Putting the mouth back into the (older) body. The Lancet Healthy Longevity. 2021, 2, #8, August 2021, E444.
The interplay between oral health and frailty is probably mediated by nutritional status: having fewer teeth, reduced masticatory force, or oral pain is likely to reduce nutrient intake, with frailty developing from muscle wasting and bone weakening. This occurrence probably produces a negative feedback loop, with sarcopenia then reducing the ability to chew and swallow. Notably, oral health of older people has been shown to decline when they first enter assisted living irrespective of their previous health status; although the exact causes are unknown, possible reasons include side effects of polypharmacy (eg, having a dry mouth), or an inability to carry out personal dental care from physical or mental disability. Furthermore, frailty is not the only systemic condition affected by poor oral health