Oral Frailty and Its Association With Frailty Status in Older Adults: Evidence From a Multicentre Study

IF 4 3区医学 Q1 DENTISTRY, ORAL SURGERY & MEDICINE

Journal of oral rehabilitation Pub Date : 2025-11-24 DOI:10.1111/joor.70118

Xiaoke Li, Jing Zhang, Libing Tan, Yuanxun Liu, Mingming Xu, Yue Yang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

This study used a novel multidimensional oral frailty assessment tool (OFAT), systematically exploring the relationship between oral frailty in the elderly and closely related oral health factors and frailty status, and analyze the evolution of frailty-related oral characteristics in different age groups, aiming to support early identification and intervention strategies.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 773 community-dwelling and institutionalised older adults in Beijing, China, from July 2024 to June 2025. Oral frailty was assessed using the OFAT and the Five-item Oral Frailty Checklist. Nine oral health markers were evaluated. Frailty status was determined using the FRAIL scale. Logistic regression models were applied to examine associations, and stratified analyses were performed by age group.

Results

Oral frailty assessed by the OFAT scale was significantly associated with frailty status (p = 0.008) after adjustment for demographic and health-related variables. Among oral health factors, decreased occlusal force emerged as an independent risk factor for frailty status (p = 0.002). Age-specific analyses revealed shifting oral health risk patterns: decreased occlusal force was most relevant in the 60–69 age group, chewing function and self-reported chewing and swallowing difficulties were predominant in the 70–79 age group, and self-reported chewing and swallowing difficulties were most prominent in those aged 80 years and above. The OFAT showed modest predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.626).

Conclusions

Oral frailty is related to frailty status, and the OFAT scale has the potential for further development and application in evaluating oral frailty. Reduced occlusal force is an independent risk factor for frailty status, and self-reported chewing and swallowing difficulties become increasingly important in advanced age. Integrating oral frailty screening into elder care may improve early frailty status detection and intervention.

查看原文本刊更多论文

老年人口腔衰弱及其与衰弱状态的关系：来自多中心研究的证据。

背景：本研究采用一种新颖的多维口腔衰弱评估工具（OFAT），系统探索老年人口腔衰弱与密切相关的口腔健康因素和衰弱状态之间的关系，分析不同年龄组口腔衰弱相关特征的演变，旨在为早期识别和干预策略提供支持。方法：从2024年7月到2025年6月，对中国北京773名社区居住和机构老年人进行了横断面研究。使用OFAT和五项口腔虚弱检查表评估口腔虚弱。评估了9项口腔健康指标。使用虚弱量表确定虚弱状态。应用逻辑回归模型检验相关性，并按年龄组进行分层分析。结果：在调整人口统计学和健康相关变量后，OFAT量表评估的口腔虚弱与虚弱状态显著相关（p = 0.008）。在口腔健康因素中，咬合力下降是虚弱状态的独立危险因素（p = 0.002）。年龄特异性分析揭示了口腔健康风险模式的变化：咬合力下降在60-69岁年龄组最为相关，咀嚼功能和自我报告的咀嚼和吞咽困难在70-79岁年龄组中占主导地位，而自我报告的咀嚼和吞咽困难在80岁及以上年龄组中最为突出。OFAT的预测准确度一般（AUC = 0.626）。结论：口腔虚弱与虚弱状态有关，OFAT量表在评估口腔虚弱方面具有进一步开发和应用的潜力。咬合力降低是虚弱状态的独立危险因素，自我报告的咀嚼和吞咽困难在老年变得越来越重要。将口腔虚弱筛查纳入老年护理可以改善早期虚弱状态的发现和干预。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of oral rehabilitation 医学-牙科与口腔外科

CiteScore

5.60

自引率

10.30%

发文量

116

审稿时长

4-8 weeks

期刊介绍： Journal of Oral Rehabilitation aims to be the most prestigious journal of dental research within all aspects of oral rehabilitation and applied oral physiology. It covers all diagnostic and clinical management aspects necessary to re-establish a subjective and objective harmonious oral function. Oral rehabilitation may become necessary as a result of developmental or acquired disturbances in the orofacial region, orofacial traumas, or a variety of dental and oral diseases (primarily dental caries and periodontal diseases) and orofacial pain conditions. As such, oral rehabilitation in the twenty-first century is a matter of skilful diagnosis and minimal, appropriate intervention, the nature of which is intimately linked to a profound knowledge of oral physiology, oral biology, and dental and oral pathology. The scientific content of the journal therefore strives to reflect the best of evidence-based clinical dentistry. Modern clinical management should be based on solid scientific evidence gathered about diagnostic procedures and the properties and efficacy of the chosen intervention (e.g. material science, biological, toxicological, pharmacological or psychological aspects). The content of the journal also reflects documentation of the possible side-effects of rehabilitation, and includes prognostic perspectives of the treatment modalities chosen.