Effect of Oral Health on Nutritional Status of Older Adults in a Rural Area

Oral health is essential part of older people's physical health and wellness. Compromised oral health may have a detrimental effect on food consumption, contributing to dietary degradation. Aim: to assess the effect of oral health on nutritional status of older adults. Design: Cross-Sectional design was used. Setting: The present study was done at ElAwasja Village, Hehia district, Sharkia Governorate. The study sample included 190 older adults selected by multistage cluster sampling technique. Three tools of data collection: I) A structured interview questionnaire. II) Oral Health Assessment Tool for Non-Dental Professionals. III) An Arabic version of the Mini-Nutritional Assessment. Results: Among 190 older adults, 63.2% of them had poor oral health, 56.8% were at risk for malnutrition and 19.5% were malnourished. Also, the study revealed a highly significant negative correlation between total oral health score of the studied elderly and their total nutritional status score (r = -0.404). Conclusions: More than two thirds of the studied elderly had poor oral health status, more than half of them were at risk of malnutrition, while, more than one fifth of them were malnourished. Older adults' oral health was significantly associated with their nutritional status. Recommendation: The study findings recommend the importance of regular oral health assessment and oral health care for rural older people to reduce their risk of malnutrition.