Poor oral health increases risk of frailty in older men
NewsPosted by: manpreet.boora 11th January 2018
Gum disease and tooth loss are just a few oral health issues that have been linked to frailty in older men, according to a new study.
With weight loss, exhaustion and low physical activity being a few of the significant symptoms observed over a three-year period, Dr Nigel Carter, Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation says that these problems can effect the wellbeing of older men to such an extent that it can “impact a person’s quality of life”.
The study further revealed that twenty per cent of over 1,000 participants had no teeth, with 11 per cent having experienced gum disease.
Dr Carter adds: “we often see first-hand the difficulties that poor oral health in elderly can have, including making it harder to eat, swallow, speak, get adequate nutrition and even smile”.
Participants – aged between 71 and 92 – took part in examinations of their height, weight, walking speed and strength of grip, as well as their oral health. These consequential health problems are proven to be widespread, with the men studied living in 24 towns across the UK.
While sensory impairments like eyesight, physical function, disease and hearing are regarded as highly important issues, Dr Carter believes the detection of poor oral health could be used to identify fragility but says it is “often ignored when assessing the care of older people”.
Dr Carter concludes: “A simple daily routine of brushing our teeth last thing at night and at one other time during the day with a fluoride toothpaste could vastly improve the health our mouth moving into later years.”
