The effect of denture placement on nutrition status and quality of life in the urban elderly / 대한치과보철학회지

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of denture placement on nutrition status and quality of life in the urban elderly. Material and method: The first survey was conducted from 45 targeted elderly people(25 experimental group, 20 control). In the first survey, information on general characteristics, chewing ability, food intake and nutrient intake, anthropometric measurement, and degree of satisfaction in life were obtained. The second survey was conducted to evaluate the effect of denture placement with same method as the first survey. Results: Before denture placement, there are no statistical significant differences (in general characteristics, chewing ability, nutrient intake, anthropometric measurement, and degree of satisfaction in life) between experimental group and control. But after denture placement, survey shows that there is statistically significant difference in chewing ability between two groups. The experimental group have higher intake of energy, protein, carbohydrate, iron, and vitamin C. in nutrient intake. And after denture replacement, there is significant improvement in degree of satisfaction in life. After denture placement there are significant changes in agitation and attitude toward own aging according to Lawton's factor classification. Conclusion: In short, this study shows that chewing ability improvement of the elderly has strong positive effects to their food intake, nutrient status and quality of life.

The Relationship Between Chewing Ability and Health Status in the Long-lived Elderly of Kyungpook Area / 영남의대학술지

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of the dental and general health in relation to the state of dentition and chewing ability by survering oral condition and anthropometric measure in order to provide primary statistics for the development of a program which may lead to an improvement in the long-lived elderly health status in a rural community. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects of this study were 97 rural long-lived elderly(27 males and 70 females) who were over 85 years-old (average age of subjects are 88.14+/-3.20 year old) in Sungju-Gun. Kyungpook Province. Data were collected by using questionnaires and direct measurement of anthropometrics, and oral examination from all 97 subjects on July, 1999. RESULTS: The following results were obtained: 1. 53.6% of all subjects believe that they are healthy. The average values of height, weight, BMI, body fat, lean body fat and total water were 148.8+/-11.2cm, 46.9+/-10.5kg, 21.2+/-3.5kg/m2, 26.7+/-6.9%, 73.0+/-7.1%, and 53.4+/-5.2%, respectively. 2. The average number of teeth remaining in the subjects were 3.50+/-571: the number of maxillary teeth remaining were 1.08+/-2.88; and the number of mandibular teeth remaining were 2.41+/-3.76. The maximum number of teeth remaining among subjects were 22 teeth, and the fully edentulous(no natural teeth) people were 76.3%. The oral conditions of the subjects were 52.6% using denture, 23.7% using natural teeth and 23.7% masticating edentulous ridge without denture. 3. In terms of oral condition in self-assessment of health, digestive ability, and chewing ability : On self-assessment of health, 47.1% of those wearing denture group responded as feeling food, 56.5% of those of edentulous without denture, and 65.2% in group of matural teeth only. On self-assessment of digestive ability, 82.4% of those in group of denture responded as feeling food, 65.2% of those in group of no teeth and no denture, and 73.9% of those in group of natural teeth only. On self-assessment of chewing ability, 90.2% of those in the group wearing a denture, 60.9% of those in the group of no teeth and no denture, and 65.2% of those in the group of natural teeth only. 4. In terms of oral condition in anthropometric measurements; The height. weight, body fat, lean body mass, and total water according to oral conditions were 150.0+/-10.7cm, 49.0+/-10.9kg, 26.9+/-6.6%, 72,7+/-7.0%, 53.2+/-5.1%, respectively, in group wearing a denture, 142.7+/-6.0cm, 43.2+/-5.5kg, 29.5+/-7.2%, 70.8+/-6.9%, 51.8+/-5.0%, respectively, in the group of no teeth and no denture, and 152.3+/-14.1cm, 45.9+/-12.6kg, 23.4+/-6.0%, 75.9+/-6.9%, 55.6+/-5.1%, respectively, in the group of natural teeth only. CONCLUSION: The subjective measurements of good health were higher denture user, and natural teeth.