ABSTRACT OBJETIVE To investigate the relationship between the masticatory function and the frailty of older people. METHODS Exploratory cross-sectional study using secondary data from the FIBRA Project on the frailty conditions of older people living in urban areas of six Brazilian municipalities, from 2008 to 2009. The population consisted of older adults aged 65 and over with no cognitive impairment. A single session identification questionnaire and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were applied, followed by collecting sociodemographic data and data on the participants’ self-assessment of masticatory function, general health, and oral health. RESULTS 2,341 older people (164 frail older adults), of whom 63.2% reported not having seen a dentist in the last year, and approximately 26% of them had three or more functional feeding problems. Older participants (OR = 2.88; 95%CI: 2.01–4.13), who are retired (OR = 2.31; 95%CI: 1.18–5.53), those who were depressed (OR = 2.31; 95%CI: 1.58–3.38), and those who self-assessed their general health as worse compared to others of the same age (OR = 3.91; 95%CI: 2.39–6.40) were at higher risk of frailty. Three or more problems related to the functional aspects of mastication were associated with a greater chance of frailty (OR = 2.06; 95%CI: 1.25–3.41). CONCLUSION This study found an association between masticatory function and a greater chance of frailty among the studied population.

ABSTRACT OBJETIVE To investigate the relationship between the masticatory function and the frailty of older people. METHODS Exploratory cross-sectional study using secondary data from the FIBRA Project on the frailty conditions of older people living in urban areas of six Brazilian municipalities, from 2008 to 2009. The population consisted of older adults aged 65 and over with no cognitive impairment. A single session identification questionnaire and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were applied, followed by collecting sociodemographic data and data on the participants’ self-assessment of masticatory function, general health, and oral health. RESULTS 2,341 older people (164 frail older adults), of whom 63.2% reported not having seen a dentist in the last year, and approximately 26% of them had three or more functional feeding problems. Older participants (OR = 2.88; 95%CI: 2.01–4.13), who are retired (OR = 2.31; 95%CI: 1.18–5.53), those who were depressed (OR = 2.31; 95%CI: 1.58–3.38), and those who self-assessed their general health as worse compared to others of the same age (OR = 3.91; 95%CI: 2.39–6.40) were at higher risk of frailty. Three or more problems related to the functional aspects of mastication were associated with a greater chance of frailty (OR = 2.06; 95%CI: 1.25–3.41). CONCLUSION This study found an association between masticatory function and a greater chance of frailty among the studied population.

Studying the different indicators of functional dentition classification can contribute to the understanding of the associated factors, and thus help in the definition of strategies associated with oral health care. This approach has been little explored in the literature, especially when considering the older age group. Aim The aim of this study is to evaluate the factors associated with three distinct functional dentition classification. Methods Cross-sectional exploratory study using secondary data from the Frailty in Older Brazilians (FIBRA) Project of 876 older adults living in Campinas, Brazil. The indicators of dental function assessed was number of natural teeth present, occluding pairs of teeth and the Eichner index, which were verified by trained dentists, following the World Health Organization criteria for epidemiological studies in oral health. The explanatory variable assessed was the self-perception of oral health-related quality of life measured by the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and its dimensions. It was also collected sociodemographic information such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, schooling, family income, smoking behavior and frailty status. The association was verified through Poisson regressions for number of teeth and pairs of teeth in occlusion and multinomial regression for the Eichner index, adjusted by sociodemographic and health variables. Results Lower prevalence of participants with less than 21 teeth who negatively perceived GOHAI´s pain and discomfort dimension and higher prevalence of having less teeth among the ones that negatively perceived GOHAI´s physical and functional dimensions. No association was found between the perception of quality of life and occlusion pairs of teeth and the Eichner Index. Conclusion Two out of three indicators assessed were associated with quality of life. Therefore, it is important to select sensitive indicators to be able to identify and better comprehend this relationship.