Title Perceived Oral Quality of Life Predicts Nutritional Status in the Elderly
Clinical Question Is there a correlation between a patient’s perceived oral health status/satisfaction and their nutritional status in the elderly population?
Clinical Bottom Line Perceived quality of oral health has a strong correlation with nutritional status.
Best Evidence  
PubMed ID Author / Year Patient Group Study type
(level of evidence)
18248335Gil-Montoya/20082,860 patientsCross Sectional/Observational
Key results2,860 randomly selected elderly persons were used in this study. Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL), Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI), and the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) of each patient were measured. Results reported that of those subjects who had a need for oral heath care based on a GOHAI of less than or equal to 57, 85% of these individuals were malnourished and 76% were at risk of malnutrition. Subjects that were not in need of oral care based on a GOHAI of greater than 57, 15% were malnourished and 24% were at risk of malnutrition. A statistically significant correlation was found between GOHAI and MNA scores when adjusted for confounding variables. More than 80% of individuals classified as malnourished required dental care.
22364560Kshetrimayum/2013141 patientsCross Sectional/Observational
Key resultsThis study presented 141 patients. GOHAI and the MNA index were used to evaluate individuals’ oral health and malnutrition. A statistically significant association was found between MNA scores and GOHAI. Patients with low perception of their oral health, a GOHAI value of less than 57, were shown to have a MNA of 9.5 ± 2.3. The subjects who had a high perception of their oral health, a GOHAI value of greater than or equal to 57, were found to have an MNA of 10.83 ± 2.1. In conclusion, individuals with a greater likelihood of malnutrition had a higher self reported need of oral health based on their GOHAI.
23773972El Osta/2013 201 patientsCross Sectional/Observational
Key resultsThe MNA and Additive GOHAI (ADD-GOHAI) were collected on 201 patients. Individuals with a GOHAI of less than 50 were 2.9 times more likely to have malnutrition compared to those who had a GOHAI of 57-60. 9.4% of subjects who had a GOHAI of 57-60 had an MNA of less than 24, whereas 79% of subjects who had a GOHAI less than or equal to 50 had an MNA score of less than 24.
18248335Daly/200349 SubjectsCross Sectional/Observational
Key results49 individuals participated in this study. MNA index was used to assess the subject’s nutritional status. 14% reported feelings of nutritional problems and 25% reported changing their diet because of their dental difficulties. Correlation was found between number of teeth and MNA, with a coefficient of 0.35, the total number of teeth and total number of foods had a coefficient of 0.33, and the total number of foods and MNA had a correlation coefficient of 0.53. All were shown to be statistically significant at a p value of <0.05. In conclusion, results found that older adults with a reduced number of teeth had poor oral health and, had a decreased quality of diet, which included these patients at risk for malnutrition.
Evidence Search http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=oral+health+related+quality+of+life+nutrition
Comments on
The Evidence
Cross sectional studies on this topic provide moderate to high level evidence. However, due to the self-reported data on oral health used in these studies, one cannot make a strong cause and effect relationship between oral health and nutrition.
Applicability It is important for a dental practitioner to realize the possible correlation of an individual's oral health and what impact that may have on their nutrition. Therefore, it is necessary for a dentist to integrate nutritional counseling in routine dental practice for those individuals who may be at risk for malnutrition caused by their oral health quality of life.
Specialty (Public Health) (General Dentistry) (Prosthodontics) (Restorative Dentistry) (Dental Hygiene)
Keywords oral health related quality of life, mini nutritional assessment, malnutrition
ID# 2610
Date of submission 02/23/2014
E-mail steven.reed@ucdenver.edu
Author Steven Reed
Co-author(s)
Co-author(s) e-mail
Faculty mentor Deise Oliveira, DDS
Faculty mentor e-mail Deise.Oliveira@ucdenver.edu
   
Basic Science Rationale
(Mechanisms that may account for and/or explain the clinical question, i.e. is the answer to the clinical question consistent with basic biological, physical and/or behavioral science principles, laws and research?)
None available
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Comments and Evidence-Based Updates on the CAT
(FOR PRACTICING DENTISTS', FACULTY, RESIDENTS and/or STUDENTS COMMENTS ON PUBLISHED CATs)
None available