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Associations Among Oral Health, Nutritional Status, and Care Dependency in Korean Long-Term Care Facilities

2026-03-17T05:57:20Z

Title: Associations Among Oral Health, Nutritional Status, and Care Dependency in Korean Long-Term Care Facilities Authors: Kim, Ha-Neul; Park, Hansol; Cha, Ji-Min; Lim, Jijun; Suh, Hyewon; Jung, Hoiin; Lim, Hee-Sook Abstract: Background: Korea's population is aging rapidly, yet the oral health and nutritional status of long-term care facility residents remain limited in terms of systematic management and research, despite its importance to quality of life. Purpose: This study aimed to compare the oral health and nutritional status of older adults in Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCFs) according to their Long-Term Care (LTC) grades and to examine the interrelationship between these two factors. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 180 older adults aged 65 years or older residing in two public long-term care facilities in Korea. Participants were classified into an institution-based benefits group (Grades 1-2) and a home-based benefits group (Grades 3-5) according to their Long-Term Care (LTC) grades. Oral health status, including oral hygiene management, chewing ability, and oral dryness, and nutritional status, assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), were evaluated. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to identify oral health factors affecting MNA scores. Results: The institution-based group showed significantly poorer physical function, oral hygiene behavior, chewing ability, and nutritional status compared to the home-based group. Malnutrition was observed in 73.9% of the institution-based group versus 26.9% in the home-based group (p<0.001). Regression analysis identified significant predictors of nutritional status: oral dryness (p<0.001), chewing ability (p=0.001), oral care dependency (p=0.024), plaque or calculus (p=0.025), and food debris (p=0.016). Conclusion: Oral health significantly impacts nutritional status among older adults in LTCFs. Those with higher LTC grades are at greater risk of both oral and nutritional deterioration. These findings highlight the urgent need for integrated, multidisciplinary care approaches addressing oral health and nutrition concurrently in LTC settings.

Association between oral health and physical frailty in community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

2025-12-22T07:42:50Z

Title: Association between oral health and physical frailty in community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis Authors: Ko, Min Jung; Seo, Seongwoo; So, Jong Seob; Jung, Hoi-In; Kho, Hong-Seop; Kang, Kyung Lhi; Ha, Seung-Ryong; Kim, Nam-Hee; Linton, Jina Lee; Kang, Jeong-Hyun Abstract: Objective: Oral health and function are increasingly recognized as important determinants of overall health in the older population. This systematic review aimed to synthesize current pieces of evidences on how various oral factors are associated with the onset and progression of physical frailty in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. Studies including community-dwelling adults aged 50 years or older with oral health-related measures and physical frailty were included. Meta-analyses were performed, and sensitivity and subgroup analyses were conducted to validate the findings. The quality of studies was evaluated using the Risk of Bias for Nonrandomized Studies version 2.0. tool. Results: Twenty-five articles involving 63,842 adults were selected. The parameters related to the masticatory and swallowing function and oral dryness demonstrated significant associations with physical frailty. Meta-analyses revealed significant associations of physical frailty with having fewer than 20 teeth (OR 2.62, 95 % CI [1.95-3.53]), subjective swallowing difficulty (OR 2.48, 95 % CI [1.70-3.60]), edentulism (OR 2.04, 95 % CI [1.59-2.61]), subjective masticatory difficulty (OR 2.02, 95 % CI [1.64-2.50]), subjective perception of dry mouth (OR 1.97, 95 % CI [1.61-2.41]), and perceived oral health status (OR 1.66, 95 % CI [1.59-1.73]). Conclusions: This systematic review demonstrated that poor oral health and impaired oral function were significantly associated with physical frailty among older adults. These findings strongly support incorporating oral health screenings into routine geriatric assessments to identify older adults at risk of physical frailty and to inform targeted preventive strategies.

Association of PCR-based oral bacterial profiles with fluorescence-detected plaque and caries experience in 3-year-old children: a cross-sectional study

2026-04-13T01:42:17Z

Title: Association of PCR-based oral bacterial profiles with fluorescence-detected plaque and caries experience in 3-year-old children: a cross-sectional study Authors: Kim, Sang-Kyeom; Ku, In-Young; Han, Su-Jin; 김상겸 Abstract: Background Quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) is widely used to detect dental plaque. However, the microbial composition of QLF-detected plaque in young children remains poorly characterized. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the associations among 10 oral disease-associated bacterial species, QLF-detected plaques, and caries in 3-year-old children. Methods Ninety-nine 3-year-old children participated in this study. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) quantified 10 target species, which were analyzed individually and as functional groups (red-complex, orange-complex, and caries-associated groups). Plaque on the labial surfaces was measured by QLF imaging and scored using the Fluorescence Patient Hygiene Performance Index (F-PHPI). The caries experience (dft) was clinically recorded. Associations were evaluated using Spearman's correlation and regression analyses. Results The F-PHPI score was significantly associated with Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) (rho = 0.455, p < 0.05), the orange complex (rho = 0.456, p < 0.001), and total bacterial load (rho = 0.479, p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that orange-complex levels predicted F-PHPI scores (R-2 = 0.17). dft correlated with the caries-associated group (rho = 0.282, p < 0.05), and logistic regression identified this group as a significant predictor (OR = 1.34, p = 0.01), with Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) the only individual species associated with caries (rho = 0.286, p < 0.05). Conclusions In 3-year-old children, QLF-detected plaque was significantly associated with orange-complex bacteria. The F-PHPI served as a potential indicator of microbial load, with regression models confirming its predictive relationship with pathogenic bacterial groups. These findings support QLF imaging as a noninvasive tool for early microbial risk assessment in pediatric populations.

Shared Decision-Making for Periodontally Compromised Teeth: Study Protocol for an Ongoing Prospective Multicenter Before-and-After Clinical Trial

2026-03-11T00:17:29Z

Title: Shared Decision-Making for Periodontally Compromised Teeth: Study Protocol for an Ongoing Prospective Multicenter Before-and-After Clinical Trial Authors: Ko, Kyung-A; Jung, Ji-Young; Park, Yuan; Chi, Christina; Jung, Hoi-In; Cho, Young-Dan; Joo, Ji-young; Yu, Sang-Joun; Cho, In-Woo; Kim, Yong-Gun; Lee, Dong-Woon; Kim, Young-Taek; Lee, Jae-Kwan; Kim, Ok-Su; Hong, Ji-Youn; Lee, Jae-Hong; Lee, Jung-Seok Abstract: Treatment decisions for teeth with poor periodontal prognosis are often complicated, requiring careful balancing of clinical evidence and patient values. Shared decision-making (SDM) is increasingly recognized as a beneficial approach to align clinical judgment with patient preferences. However, structured SDM implementation in dental settings remains limited. This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured SDM protocol compared to usual care decision-making for patients with severe periodontitis and hopeless prognosis teeth. A multicenter, before-and-after clinical trial will be conducted across 12 dental centers in South Korea. Each center will apply usual care decision-making for the first six months, followed by the SDM intervention for the subsequent six months. The SDM process involves a three-step model: team talk, option talk (aided by web-based decision aids), and decision talk. Eligible participants include patients with stage III or IV periodontitis and at least one hopeless-prognosis tooth. Each patient follows a three-visit schedule. Primary outcome is the rate of tooth preservation decisions. Secondary outcomes include measures related to SDM (SDM-Q-9, SDM-Q-Doc), patient experience (Perceived Involvement in Care Scale [PICS], Decisional Regret Scale [DRS], treatment adherence), and clinical measures (periodontal condition and treatment costs). Data are collected via Research Electronic Data Capture, and statistical analyses include McNemar's test for binary outcomes and repeated-measures analysis of variance for continuous data. This study is expected to provide evidence supporting the integration of structured SDM protocols in dental practice. By evaluating both patient-centered and clinical outcomes, the research aims to advance personalized, participatory approaches in managing severe periodontitis.