The Impact of Nutritional Status on Oral Health Outcomes and Management in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Kittipit Srisanoi, Ines Wnuk, Sabrina Maniewicz et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined associations between nutritional status and oral health in adults aged 75 years or older. It included 83 studies, with quality assessments indicating predominantly low to moderate risk of bias. Older adults at risk of malnutrition had fewer teeth (SMD = -0.29; 95% CI: -0.46, -0.11; p = 0.002). Malnutrition was also associated with chewing and swallowing problems and dry mouth, while fewer than 20 teeth without denture rehabilitation was associated with greater odds of malnutrition. The findings describe associations, not evidence that one condition causes the other.
Key findings
- Older adults at risk of malnutrition had fewer teeth (SMD = -0.29; 95% CI: -0.46, -0.11; p = 0.002).
- Having < 20 teeth without denture rehabilitation was associated with higher odds of malnutrition (OR = 4.00; 95% CI: 1.21, 13.18; p = 0.02).
- Malnutrition was associated with self-reported chewing problems (OR = 2.38; 95% CI: 1.74, 3.26; p < 0.0001), swallowing problems (OR = 3.18; 95% CI: 2.20, 4.61; p < 0.0001) and dry mouth (OR = 2.35; 95% CI: 1.91, 2.88; p < 0.0001).
- Oral pain was associated with lower odds of malnutrition risk (OR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.89; p = 0.005).
Why it matters
The findings highlight that oral function and nutritional status are linked in older adults, including care-dependent people. Tooth loss, chewing or swallowing difficulty, and dry mouth may be relevant when assessing nutritional concerns, while nutritional risk may warrant attention to oral health. Because the evidence is associative, these patterns do not establish direction or causality.
What to keep in mind
The review notes a lack of longitudinal studies and proof of causality. Included studies predominantly had low to moderate risk of bias.