The relationship between oral status and healthy aging in Chinese older adults: A community cohort study

• Published in: Journal of public health dentistry 2024-06, Vol.84 (2), p.103-109
• Main Authors: Jilili, Maitixirepu, Cheng, Yan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; denture use; Dentures; healthy aging; Older people; Oral hygiene; Statistical analysis; Teeth; tooth loss
• ISSN: 0022-4006; 1752-7325; 1752-7325
• DOI: 10.1111/jphd.12604

Objectives In recent years, there has been a growing academic interest in investigating the determinants of healthy aging. The main objective of this study was to investigate the association between oral status, as defined by tooth loss and denture use, and healthy aging among Chinese older adults over a four‐year duration. Methods The data were derived from the 2014 and 2018 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression analysis were employed for statistical analysis. Results The results suggest that older adults with ≥20 natural teeth have a higher likelihood of experiencing healthy aging compared to those with fewer than 20 natural teeth. In the fully adjusted model, only older adults with ≥20 natural teeth demonstrated a higher rate of healthy aging compared to those with 0 natural teeth, with an OR (95% CI): 2.09 (1.54–2.84). Conclusions These results highlight the importance of maintaining ≥20 teeth for promoting healthy aging among Chinese older adults. Furthermore, wearing dentures can, to varying degrees, mitigate the adverse effects of tooth loss on healthy aging. Rehabilitative interventions, such as the utilization of dentures and other clinical strategies, play a pivotal role in enhancing the oral health status of older individuals.