Associations among time preferences, oral health behaviors, and oral health-related quality of life in community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study with clinical oral examination

Psychological tendencies to prioritize immediate over future benefits may influence health-related behaviors. However, their associations with oral health outcomes among older adults are unclear. This study investigated how time discounting and procrastination, two key constructs in behavioral economics, are associated with oral health behaviors and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among community-dwelling older adults. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in partnership with a senior club in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Time discounting tendency, procrastination, and risk-taking attitude were assessed using items from the Global Preference Survey. Oral health behaviors, including daily oral cleaning frequency (including denture cleaning), and OHRQoL were assessed via questionnaire using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14), while clinical examinations provided data on number of teeth and periodontal inflamed surface area. Among 64 participants (25 males and 39 females, mean age 79.1 ± 5.52 years), greater time discounting tendency was significantly associated with lower daily oral cleaning frequency in both unadjusted (B[95% confidence interval, CI]=-0.10 [-0.17 to -0.04], p = 0.002) and adjusted analyses (B[95% CI]=-0.10 [-0.17 to -0.02], p = 0.01). Greater procrastination was significantly associated with poorer OHRQoL in the unadjusted analysis (B[95% CI] = 1.29 [0.55 to 2.02], p = 0.001), although this association was attenuated after adjustment. No significant associations were noted between time preferences and objective periodontal indicators. Time discounting and procrastination are differentially associated with oral health behaviors and OHRQoL among community-dwelling older adults, suggesting that individual time preferences may shape preventive oral health practices. Awareness of these distinct tendencies may support more tailored oral health promotion.