Association between decrease in frequency of going out and oral function in older adults living in major urban areas

Abstract

Aim To examine the association between a decrease in the frequency of going out and oral function in independent older adults living in the urban area of Tokyo. Methods The participants analyzed were 785 older adults from the “Takashimadaira Study” (344 men and 441 women, age 77.0 ± 4.6 years). This study investigated the following items: decrease in frequency of going out; basic characteristics (sex, age); physical factors, such as oral function (difficulty chewing, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth); body pain; the Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence; physical activities; psychological factors, such as the Geriatric Depression Scale‐15 score; and social and environmental factors, such as the presence or absence of participation in organization activities. Results To investigate the factors associated with a decrease in frequency of going out, logistic regression analysis showed an association with age (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.03–1.13), difficulty chewing (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.52–3.83), dry mouth (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.07–2.64), body pain (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.14–2.78), Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence scores (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.84–0.99), physical activities (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98–1.00), Geriatric Depression Scale‐15 scores (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.05–1.21) and organization activities (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.22–3.07). Covariance structural analyses showed that both “difficulty chewing” and “dry mouth” significantly affected “decrease in frequency of going out.” In addition, decrease in frequency of going out was significantly affected by “ Geriatric Depression Scale‐15 scores” through oral function. Conclusions The relationship between oral function and decrease in frequency of going out was clarified, after the multifaceted factors were adjusted. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 792–797.

Tooth loss, dental prostheses use and cognitive performance in older Brazilian adults: The SABE cohort study

“…23 Besides difficulties in eating, tooth loss without replacement can affect social aspects of daily living, such as embarrassment when smiling, laughing or showing their teeth, and speech problems. 24 Therefore, another potential explanation for the observed findings might rely on a moderation role of dental rehabilitation on the previously reported impact of tooth loss on depression 25 and social isolation, 26 which have been associated with cognitive decline. 27 Finally, it has been suggested that masticatory performance might be associated with brain activity and cerebral blood flow.…”

Oral Factors as Predictors of Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older People: A Prospective Cohort Study

“…Poor tongue movement makes it difficult to speak and may be associated with stress-induced weakness. Of those over 70 years of age, the group with a reduced frequency of going out had higher subjective difficulty in mastication than the group with no reduction in the frequency of going out [44]. Poor tongue movement may have affected withdrawal.…”

The association of social frailty with intrinsic capacity in community-dwelling older adults: a prospective cohort study

“…Social isolation accompanying loneliness triggers depressive symptoms, subjective memory decline, and the onset of dementia [ 11 , 44 ]. In addition, the lack of stimulus from oral conversation and verbal communication reduces the cross-talk between the mouth and brain, further resulting in deteriorated oral function (e.g., impaired chewing ability, salivation, and tongue pressure), loss of appetite, worsening depressive symptoms, and progressive cognitive complaints [ 45 – 47 ]. Subsequently, malnutrition occurs, which accelerates the vicious cycle of disability and mortality [ 11 ].…”