Nutritional status, dietary intake and oral quality of life in elderly complete denture wearers

Background and objective: The prevalence of malnutrition increases with age because of many factors. Edentulousness leads to the avoidance of many types of foods. The aim of this study was to determine whether elderly complete denture wearers have a higher risk of malnutrition than dentate controls. Material and methods: A Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and a 3-day dietary record were compiled for a group of fully dentates (21 women and 29 men; mean age 70.1 +/- 6.1) and for a group of complete denture wearers (31 women and 16 men; mean age 70.1 +/- 8.1). Socio-demographic data and scores on the General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) questionnaire were collected. Results: Inter-group comparison of MNA scores showed that more subjects in the edentulous group (21.3%) risked malnutrition than in the dentate group (0%). The variability of the MNA could be explained for 22% by dental status, 7% by loneliness and 4% by the GOHAI score (regression analysis). Both groups had insufficient energy intakes and deficits in vitamins and micronutrients; moreover, edentulous subjects had lower intakes than dentate subjects. Conclusion: The use of conventional dentures increases the risk of malnutrition in the elderly.