Protein Intake and Oral Health in Older Adults—A Narrative Review

Abstract

Oral health is vital to general health and well-being for all ages, and as with other chronic conditions, oral health problems increase with age. There is a bi-directional link between nutrition and oral health, in that nutrition affects the health of oral tissues and saliva, and the health of the mouth may affect the foods consumed. Evidence suggests that a healthy diet generally has a positive impact on oral health in older adults. Although studies examining the direct link between oral health and protein intake in older adults are limited, some have explored the relationship via malnutrition, which is also prevalent among older adults. Protein–energy malnutrition (PEM) may be associated with poor oral health, dental caries, enamel hypoplasia, and salivary gland atrophy. This narrative review presents the theoretical evidence on the impact of dietary protein and amino acid composition on oral health, and their combined impact on overall health in older adults.

Oral Health and the Association with Blood Parameters in Neurogeriatric Inpatients without Relevant Systemic Inflammation: An Observational Study

“…In a vulnerable patient population such as ours, the risk of chronic disease goes beyond periodontitis. We found a significant correlation between total protein and number of teeth, which suggests a relationship between protein intake, oral health, and malnutrition in older people, as previously described [ 36 ]. The number of own teeth remaining and the periodontal disease load have an influence on chewing function.…”

Combined influence of oral health behaviors and nutritional and inflammatory status on risk of all-cause mortality among US population, NHANES 2011-2018

“…Potential biological mechanisms may involve in ammatory mediators entering the bloodstream because of oral conditions, leading to systemic chronic in ammation, thereby facilitating the progression of diseases [13][14][15][16]. Moreover, poor nutritional status resulting from oral health problems can diminish general physiological conditions, leading to organ dysfunction [17,18]. Thus, it is signi cant to consider oral health as a systemic issue and understand its impact on individual health.…”

Research hotspots and trends of oral health in older adults from 2013 to 2023: A bibliometric and visual analysis

“…These problems accumulate over a lifetime and are exacerbated by infrequent visits to oral health care professionals [ 9 ]. The most common oral problems in older adults include natural tooth loss, dry mouth, dental caries, periodontal disease, defective or inappropriate dentures, and oral cancer [ 10 , 11 ]. The number of remaining teeth is an important indicator of oral health, particularly in older adults, as it represents the cumulative effect of long-term exposure to dental caries and periodontitis.…”

“…Oral health problems can seriously affect the overall health and adversely affect disease development and quality of life in older adults [ 14 ]. Due to tooth loss or poor oral function, older adults may be restricted in eating (e.g., taste, chewing, swallowing, and digestion), resulting in inadequate nutritional intake, weight loss, low physical function, and geriatric disease [ 11 , 15 ]; tooth loss can also affect conversation and dental aesthetics, reduce enjoyment of meals with family and friends, and lead to low self-esteem, depression, and even suicidal thoughts in older adults [ 16 ]. Oral health was negatively correlated with frailty in older adults, with the risk of frailty increasing with poor oral health [ 17 ].…”