Tooth loss may be associated with a higher risk of sarcopenia, or a decline in muscle mass, with the strongest effects seen in socioeconomically vulnerable older adults. This study was published on December 2 in BMC Oral Health.
Therefore, routine oral health screenings may strengthen geriatric evaluations by helping to identify high-risk patients, the authors wrote.
“The prevalence of edentulism was significantly higher among individuals with sarcopenia compared to those without,” wrote the authors, led by Tianyang Zhai of the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University in Tianjin, China.
The study examined 17,099 participants age 45 and older from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. The project began with a baseline survey in 2011 and conducted follow-ups every two to three years through 2020, collecting detailed data on demographics, health status, and functional assessments, they wrote.
Participants were included if they had complete oral exam records, muscle mass and strength measurements, and full sociodemographic and health information at baseline and at least one follow-up. Edentulism was defined as having no natural teeth. Sarcopenia was diagnosed when low muscle mass was accompanied by reduced grip strength or impaired physical function.
Cross-sectional analyses showed that edentulism increased sarcopenia risk (odds ratio [OR] = 3.89, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.46 to 4.37, p < 0.001), and the association remained significant after full adjustment (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.66, p = 0.023). Longitudinal Cox models showed edentulism predicted incident sarcopenia (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.40, p = 0.008), they wrote.
Additional propensity score-matching logistic analyses supported these results (OR = 1.047, 95% CI: 1.009 to 1.086, p = 0.014). Furthermore, subgroup findings showed higher risks in males, rural residents, low-education groups, nonsmokers, nondrinkers, and western regions, suggesting that socioeconomic and lifestyle factors may affect the impact of edentulism on sarcopenia.
Nevertheless, the study had limitations. Residual confounders related to psychosocial factors, detailed nutrition data, and physical activity were not fully collected, the authors added.
“The findings underscore the importance of integrating oral health assessments into geriatric evaluations and emphasize multidisciplinary interventions involving oral health care, nutritional support, and exercise regimens to mitigate sarcopenia risk among edentulous individuals,” Zhai and colleagues concluded.
