ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ORAL FRAILTY AND INTRINSIC CAPACITY AMONG COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS

Objective: This study aims to explore the association between oral frailty and intrinsic capacity among community-dwelling older adults, providing evidence for the prevention of functional decline and disability in older adults. Design and method: This study conducted a cross-sectional design, using convenience sampling to select community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years and above from a community in Shanghai as the study population. Oral frailty was assessed using Screening Tool for Oral Frailty, which included the number of teeth, chewing function, swallowing function, oral motor function, oral pain, and dry mouth. Intrinsic capacity was quantified by measuring visual acuity and grip strength, and by assessing depression, subjective cognitive function, and frailty through questionnaires. A decline in any of the above functions was considered as a decrease in intrinsic capacity. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to explore the relationship between oral frailty and intrinsic capacity. Results: A total of 360 community-dwelling older adults were included in this study. The mean age of the participants was 72.7 ± 5.5 years, and 59% were women. The results showed a significant positive correlation between oral frailty scores and intrinsic capacity scores (r = 0.363, p < 0.001). Further analysis revealed that oral frailty was an independent risk factor for the decline in intrinsic capacity (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.19-4.35). Specifically, having fewer than 20 teeth (OR 1.84, 95% CI 0.94-3.59), swallowing dysfunction (OR 0.56, 95% CI 2.44-1.30), chewing dysfunction (OR 3.53, 95% CI 1.31-9.53), and dry mouth symptoms (OR 3.26, 95% CI 1.58-6.75) were all closely associated with the decline in intrinsic capacity. Conclusions: This study confirms a significant association between oral frailty and the decline in intrinsic capacity among community-dwelling older adults. These findings highlight the important role of oral health in maintaining the overall health of older adults and suggest that future research and practice should focus on the early identification and intervention of oral frailty to delay the decline in intrinsic capacity and improve the quality of life of older adults.