Association between Oral Health and Frailty among Older Adults in Madinah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the association between normative and subjective oral health indicators and frailty assessed by Frailty Phenotype (FP) and frailty index (FI) among older Saudi adults. DESIGN: cross-sectional study. SETTING: community and hospital-based. PARTICIPANTS: participants were 356 community-dwelling older adults attending dental clinics and social centres at Madinah, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: Frailty was measured with the frailty phenotype and a 34-item FI. Oral health included the following measures: self-rated oral health, number of teeth, and functional dentition. Covariates included sociodemographic factors and nutritional status. Logistic regression and negative binomial regression models were constructed to test the association between oral health indicators, FP, and FI, respectively. The first model was adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic factors, the second model was additionally adjusted for nutritional status. RESULTS: The number of teeth, functional dentition and self-rated oral health showed significant associations with frailty after adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic variables for both FP and FI. Adjusting for nutritional status attenuated the associations. CONCLUSION: This study has shown significant associations between oral health indicators namely number of teeth, functional dentition and self-rated oral health, and both FP and FI among Saudi older adults. Nutritional status appeared to mediate the association between oral health and frailty implicating inability to eat in this relationship.

Association between body mass index, diet and dental caries in Grade 6 boys in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

The prevalence of obesity is increasing in Saudi Arabia and although caries is associated with obesity, this association has not been investigated in Medina. This study aimed to determine the association between dental caries, body mass index (BMI) and dietary habits of 12-year-old boys from four geographically distinct schools in Medina. Mean BMI was 22.17 kg/m² (± 5.15); 41% had normal BMI, 25% were overweight and 30% were obese. The mean Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) score was 1.46 (± 2.04). Those in the normal BMI range had a significantly higher prevalence of caries (57%) and DMFT score (1.92) compared with the overweight and obese groups (P < 0.05). These differences remained significant after controlling for possible confounders via linear regression. Mean BMI was significantly lower in boys with severe compared with mild or no caries. Normal and underweight participants had an almost 2 times greater risk of developing caries compared with their overweight and obese counterparts. The children had poor dietary habits and there were no significant associations between dietary variables and caries.

Association between body mass index, diet and dental caries in Grade 6 boys in Medina, Saudi Arabia

The prevalence of obesity is increasing in Saudi Arabia and although caries is associated with obesity, this association has not been investigated in Medina. This study aimed to determine the association between dental caries, body mass index [BMI] and dietary habits of 12-year-old boys from four geographically distinct schools in Medina. Mean BMI was 22.17 kg/m[2] [ +/- 5.15]; 41% had normal BMI, 25% were overweight and 30% were obese. The mean Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth [DMFT] score was 1.46 [ +/- 2.04]. Those in the normal BMI range had a significantly higher prevalence of caries [57%] and DMFT score [1.92] compared with the overweight and obese groups [P < 0.05]. These differences remained significant after controlling for possible confounders via linear regression. Mean BMI was significantly lower in boys with severe compared with mild or no caries. Normal and underweight participants had an almost 2 times greater risk of developing caries compared with their overweight and obese counterparts. The children had poor dietary habits and there were no significant associations between dietary variables and caries

La prévalence de l'obésité augmente en Arabie saoudite et malgré le lien qui existe entre la carie et l'obésité, cette association n'a pas été étudiée à Médine. La présente étude avait pour objectif de déterminer l'association entre les caries dentaires, l'indice de masse corporelle [IMC] et les habitudes alimentaires de garçons âgés de 12 ans venant de quatre écoles géographiquement distinctes à Médine. L'IMC moyen était de 22,17 kg/m[2] [+/- 5,15]; 41% avaient un IMC normal, 25% étaient en surcharge pondérale et 30% étaient obèses. Le score moyen de l'indice CAO [dent cariée, absente ou obturée] s'élevait à 1,46 [+/- 2,04]. Les garçons dont l'IMC se situait dans les valeurs normales avaient un prévalence de la carie [57%] et un indice CAO supérieurs [1,92] à ceux du groupe des enfants en surcharge pondérale et souffrant d'obésité [p < 0,05]. Ces différences demeuraient significatives après avoir contrôlé d'autres facteurs de confusion potentiels grâce à la régression linéaire. L'IMC moyen était considérablement plus faible chez les garçons ayant des caries sévères par rapport à ceux qui avaient des caries bénignes ou qui n'en avaient pas. Les participants de poids normal ou présentant une insuffisance pondérale avaient un risque deux fois plus important de développer des caries que ceux qui étaient en surcharge pondérale ou obèses. Les enfants avaient de mauvaises habitudes alimentaires et il n'y avait aucune association entre les variables alimentaires et les caries