The Association of Bite Instability and Comorbidities in Elderly People

Objective The purpose was to evaluate the association between bite instability and comorbidities, comprehensive geriatric evaluations, or disabilities in elderly people. Methods A dentist examined the oral function, such as the bite stability, number of teeth, and the use of dentures, in 119 patients (93 women, mean age: 86.7±7.8) in 2 nursing homes for the elderly. The association between the oral function and the prevalence of diseases, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dementia, was analyzed. Results The median number of teeth was 0 [0, 4]. The patients were divided into a bite-stable group (n=78, 66%) and bite-unstable group (n=41, 34%). The prevalence of hypertension was significantly higher in the bite-stable group than in the bite-unstable group (83% vs. 63%, respectively; p=0.0149), whereas the prevalence of diabetes mellitus was significantly lower in the bite-stable group than in the bite-unstable group (10% vs. 27%, respectively; p=0.0190). The prevalence of a cognitive function decline was significantly lower in the bite-stable group as well (59% vs. 83%, p=0.0082). According to the simplified comprehensive geriatric assessment 7, the bite-stable group scored significantly higher for instrumental activities of daily living (ADL) than the bite-unstable group (54% vs. 24%, respectively; p=0.0021). A multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that bite instability was independently correlated with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and instrumental activities of daily living. Conclusion Bite instability was independently associated with a decreased prevalence of hypertension or increased prevalence of diabetes mellitus and low levels of instrumental ADL in the elderly.