ASSOCIATION OF DENTAL PROSTHETIC CONDITION WITH FOOD CONSUMPTION AND THE RISK OF MALNUTRITION AND FOLLOW-UP 4-YEAR MORTALITY RISK IN ELDERLY TAIWANESE

Objective: To determine the impact of dental prosthetic condition on food consumption, risk of malnutrition and follow-up 4-year mortality risk in elderly Taiwanese. Design and setting: Analyzing the data sets of the 1999 and 2003 Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan, a longitudinal cohort study. Participants: A national probability sample of 2766 men and women 65 years of age or older. Measurements: Self-reported intake frequencies of major food categories, masticatory ability, food consumption, and the risk of malnutrition assessed with the Mini Nutritional Assessment (short-form) stratified by dental prosthetic condition. Cox regression was used to compare follow-up mortality risk. Results: Non-denture wearers and removable-denture wearers had poorer masticatory ability and greater nutritional risk and consumed fruits and vegetable less often compared to fixed-denture wearers. Removable-denture wearers also had lower self-perceived nutritional status and BMI compared to fixed-denture wearers. Survival analysis showed that non-denture wearers and removable-denture wearers had lower follow-up 4-year survival. Cox regression analysis showed that removable-denture wearers had increased follow-up 4-year mortality risk compared to fixed-denture wearers adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle and health-related factors. Conclusions: Based on data of a national sample of a longitudinal cohort study, dental prosthetic condition is a significant factor of nutritional health in the elderly. It can affect food pattern and the risk of malnutrition and mortality of elderly persons. Dental care should be an important part of geriatric health promotion program and fixed-denture is a preferred choice over removable-denture.