FRAILTY, LOSS OF NATURAL TEETH AND QUALITY OF LIFE

Objective: This study investigates whether the loss of natural teeth associate with elderly frailty, as well as their connection with quality of life. Design: This study collected data from January 2012 to April 2013, and the subjects were the elderly over the age of 65 living in community. Setting: Loss of natural teeth and frailty are common issues in elderly and it is noteworthy to address these issues while the investigation of healthy ageing. Participants: The research included 543 elderly people over the age of 65. Measurements: The face-to-face interviews with a structured questionnaire were performed. Results: Elderly people with no natural teeth are more likely to become frail (OR=1.87); the relationship between frailty and quality of life is more significant. After adjusting for all the independent variables, results showed that frailty in elderly leads to poorer quality of life, and oral health status is not correlated with quality of life (P>0.05). The remain of natural teeth is correlated with occurrence of frailty in the elderly. Conclusions: Frailty has a significant and strong influence on oral health-related quality of life. For the elderly, frailty shall be early diagnosed to ensure provision of proper preventive health care.