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AI-assisted age estimation from occlusal tooth wear using biofluorescence imaging

2026-05-12T08:35:49Z

Title: AI-assisted age estimation from occlusal tooth wear using biofluorescence imaging Authors: Kim, Sang-Kyeom; Lee, Eun-Song; Kim, Baek-Il Abstract: This proof-of-concept study evaluated the feasibility of an AI-based age estimation model using an occlusal tooth wear parameter (Delta F-wear) quantified from biofluorescence. Quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) images from 104 adults (20-70 years; 2,733 teeth) were analyzed. To prevent data leakage, the dataset was split at the participant level. A random forest (RF) regressor was optimized, and recursive feature elimination with cross-validation (RFECV) identified efficient tooth subsets. Final models were validated using an independent test set, and correlations between mean Delta F-wear and chronological age were assessed. Cross-validation (CV) performance peaked with three teeth; however, independent testing showed that a model incorporating seven key teeth achieved the best generalization performance. This 7-tooth model achieved a mean absolute error (MAE) of 7.49 years (95% CI: 5.90-9.17), comparable to the full 28-tooth model (MAE: 7.27 years; p = 0.79), with a stronger Pearson correlation with age (r = 0.78 vs. 0.71) and an equivalent R-2 of 0.61. These findings support the feasibility of integrating Delta F-wear with an interpretable machine-learning framework for non-invasive age estimation. While the reduced 7-tooth model offers analytical efficiency, further validation in larger and more diverse cohorts is required to confirm its generalizability for broader forensic or epidemiological applications.

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.