Background

Older adults will make up an increasingly larger share of the population in the years to come. Illness and reduced function increase with age, and this also applies to oral health. Tooth loss, chewing difficulties, and oral diseases can affect both food intake and general health, and are linked to malnutrition, frailty, and mortality. Much of the knowledge in this area comes from studies in other countries. Therefore, we need Norwegian data on the prevalence of oral health problems, as well as more knowledge about how oral health is connected to malnutrition and mortality among the elderly.

Purpose

The purpose of the project is to map the dental and oral health of older adults in Norway and examine how oral health is linked to malnutrition and mortality.

Method

The project uses data from HUNT4 70+, which was conducted in 2017–2019, and Aging in Trøndelag (HUNT AiT), which was conducted in 2021–2023. In HUNT4 70+, participants' oral health was examined using a standardized assessment tool called the Revised Oral Assessment Guide-Jönköping (ROAG-J). In both HUNT4 70+ and HUNT AiT, participants also answered questions about their own oral health, and information regarding malnutrition—such as weight, weight loss, and reduced food intake—was collected.

Results

Oral health problems are very common among adults over 70. More than half (56%) had at least one moderate or severe problem, and approximately 10 percent had severe problems requiring follow-up by dental health personnel or a physician. These problems become more common with increasing age and occur most frequently among nursing home residents. Nearly 10 percent were edentulous (toothless), while around 30 percent used full or partial dentures. Tooth loss and the use of dentures increase with age and occur more often in women than in men. Results from the project also showed that both an increase in the number of oral health problems and an increase in their severity raised the prevalence of malnutrition. Certain oral health problems, such as poorly functioning dentures and sore lips, were more strongly associated with malnutrition than other oral health issues. Overall, the findings indicate that attention should be directed toward measures to prevent and manage both oral health problems and malnutrition among older adults in Norway.

Collaborating institutions

• NTNU
• National Quality and Competence Network for Disease-Related Malnutrition (NKSU), Oslo University Hospital (OUS)
• Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Ageing and Health

Oral health and malnutrition in the elderly is a PhD project funded through NTNU Health as part of the DigiFrailCare project.