TITLE:
Self Reported Dental Health, BMI, and Albumin in a Geriatric Population
AUTHORS:
M. Midttun, Z. Zahir
KEYWORDS:
Dental Health, Teeth, Oral Health, Nutrition, Geriatric Patients, Oldest Old, BMI, Albumin
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Aging Research,
Vol.3 No.2,
May
13,
2014
ABSTRACT:
Method: 99
patients, 70 women and 29 men, mean age 84.2, were included. They were all
hospitalized in the geriatric department between June and September 2010. The
study was a questionnaire, and the questions were read out loud by one of the
investigators. The answers were the patient’s own experience. The patient’s
mouth and teeth were not examined. BMI and albumin were taken from the
patient’s medical record. Results: There was no statistical difference in albumin
(mean: 31.2, 22.5) or BMI (mean: 29.3, 23.8) between patients with natural
teeth, and a denture, (p = 0.12, and 0.23), but mean albumin was slightly
higher in patients with natural teeth. Patients with a denture were
significantly older than patients with natural teeth (p = 0.02). Conclusion: In
general the patients were happy with their teeth even though 71.7% had a
denture, and 44.1% said that it caused problems. All patients with natural
teeth except one consulted the dentist frequently. 15% answered that they had
bad dental health, but there was no significant difference in BMI and albumin
between the groups. Still it is of great importance to bear in mind that when
dealing with patients with digestive problems, malnutrition, infections, wounds
etc. the fact that these symptoms could possibly be caused by a poor dental
state should be considered, especially in geriatric patients, a group of
patients that are still getting older.