Abstract
It is often assumed that oral hypofunction is associated with social withdrawal in older adults because decreased motor function is related to decreased oral function. However, few studies have examined the relationship between social withdrawal in older adults and oral function. This longitudinal study aimed to clarify the relationship between changes in the level of social withdrawal and oral function in independent older adults. Participants were 427 older adults aged 65 years or older who took part in a self-administered questionnaire from 2016 to 2017 (baseline), and again two years later (follow-up). At baseline, 17 items related to oral function and confounding factors related to withdrawal, physical condition, physical function, and cognitive function were evaluated. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to examine the oral functions that negatively impact social withdrawal. The following factors were significantly associated with the worsening of social withdrawal: the number of remaining teeth, gingival condition, occlusal force, masticatory efficiency, and items related to swallowing and dry mouth. Older adults with cognitive issues who walk slowly and have a weak knee extension muscle were also significantly more likely to have oral frailty. Those who were found to have oral frailty at baseline were 1.8 times more likely to develop withdrawal compared to those with robust oral function. The results indicated that the worsening of withdrawal was associated with oral hypofunction at baseline. Since oral hypofunction was associated with the worsening of social withdrawal in older adults, it is important to maintain older adults’ oral function.
Highlights
Falling is one of the most serious events experienced by older adults, and such events often entail expensive medical bills
Items examined for oral function that were found to be associated with social withdrawal were as follows: the number of remaining teeth, gingival condition, occlusal force, masticatory efficiency, and items related to swallowing and dry mouth in the Kihon check list (KCL)
It was shown that the subjects with oral frailty often had an impaired physical ability and low cognitive function and that a poor physical function was involved in the worsening of social withdrawal
Summary
Falling is one of the most serious events experienced by older adults, and such events often entail expensive medical bills. Our earlier studies found that participants who had experienced falls and were anxious about falling had reduced motor function and impaired occlusion; such participants had oral hypofunction, and older adults with few remaining teeth and impaired occlusion were prone to falls [12,23]. Based on these findings, we suggest that maintaining healthy oral and physical function can reduce falls and extend healthy life expectancy. This study examined the relationship between social withdrawal and oral function in independent older adults aged 65 years or older who live in the Tamba-Sasayama area. We conducted a two-year follow-up survey on changes in participants’ frequency of going out and physical activity
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
