The nutritional support program by dental and multi-disciplinary professionals using effective screening methods for dental intervention needs in older adults

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25463280
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social dentistry
• Research Institution: National Institute of Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Moriya Shingo 国立保健医療科学院, その他部局等, その他 (70344520)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): Miura Hiroko 国立保健医療科学院, 国際協力研究部, 部長 (10183625) ; Koshino Hisashi 北海道医療大学, 歯学部, 教授 (90186669)
• Research Collaborator: Ishikawa Midori 国立保健医療科学院, 生涯健康研究部, 上席主任研究官
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 高齢者 / 地域 / 口腔保健 / 咀嚼 / 栄養 / ADL

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is an important issue to screen older adults with dental treatment needs. It is possible that such a person may be screen by a non-dental professional with a simple questionnaire consisted of appropriate combinations of history of the last dental visit, brushing frequency and self-assessed masticatory ability. A survey of dietary intake by dietitian showed that impairment in masticatory ability was significantly associated with lower frequencies in intake of vegetables, meat and nuts, subsequently leading to reduced number of food items consumed per day. In women impaired masticatory ability was associated with higher body mass. A study of the dental intervention for impaired oral health showed that oral hygiene was significantly improved, but not for masticatory ability and dietary intake. Approaches with a consideration given to nutritional counseling should be employed in older adults with decreased masticatory ability.

Free Research Field

高齢者歯科