Investigation of the usefulness of oral function tests in subjects subjected to specific health examinations

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K10466
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57080:Social dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu Dental College
• Principal Investigator: Fukuizumi Takaki 九州歯科大学, 歯学部, 准教授 (50275442)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 山口 摂崇 北海道医療大学, 歯学部, 助教 (50759222)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 特定健康診査 / 口腔機能 / 職業性ストレス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Working persons aged 40 to 65 years were surveyed, and those who had been under long-term medical treatment in the past and those with depressive symptoms were excluded from the study. Then, at the same time as the specified health checkups (periodic health checkups), we investigated (1) basic attributes of the subjects, (2) oral environment, (3) presence and extent of dental diseases, (4) oral function, (5) occupational stress, (6) exercise function, (7) health-related QOL, and so on. The results revealed the following two points regarding oral functions related to feeding and swallowing: (1) Oral functions begin to decline slowly from the prime of life (40s or older) before the onset of old age, and the degree of decline increases with age. (2) The degree of decline in oral function after the prime age is greater in those who are eligible for specific health guidance than in those who are not.

Free Research Field

社会歯科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の結果から、特定保健指導該当者に対する摂食・嚥下機能の維持・改善のための介入の必要性を示唆した。特定保健指導該当者に対する早期介入が実現すれば、高齢期に問題となるオーラルフレイル対策を含めた介護サービス利用者や口腔機能低下症患者を減少させることができ、高齢期の介護費や医療費の適正化に対して大きく貢献することができる極めて有用性の高い研究であるといえる。
さらに、本研究が進展して、介護費や医療費の適正化に寄与することが示されれば、検討が進んでいる「国民皆歯科健診」の推進に大きく寄与することから、本研究は就労者の口腔の健康の保持・増進に大きく貢献する極めて意義のある研究であるといえる。