The Association Between Cognitive Function and Oral Health in Home Dwellers and Nursing Home Residents: The HUNT Study

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the relationships of cognitive function and care dependency with oral health in a Norwegian older adult population. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 2623 participants aged 70 and older from the fourth wave of the Trøndelag health study (HUNT4 70+) and the city of Trondheim (Trondheim 70+). Neurocognitive disorders (NCDs) were diagnosed by clinical experts according to the DSM-5 framework. Care dependency referred to nursing home residency. Oral health was assessed by using the Revised Oral Assessment Guide—Jönköping (ROAG-J). Individuals were considered as ‘having oral problem’ if the score was two or three in at least one of the nine ROAG-J items. Poisson regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The prevalence of having oral problems was 19% higher in participants with NCDs than those with normal cognitive function after adjusting for potential confounders (PR 1.19, 95% CI: 1.09–1.29). Further analysis showed a higher prevalence of having oral problems for home dwellers with NCDs (PR 1.23, 95% CI: 1.13–1.33) and nursing home residents (PR 1.32, 95% CI: 1.20–1.45) compared to home dwellers with normal cognitive function. Conclusions: NCDs were associated with an increased prevalence of oral problems in this Norwegian older adult population. The study suggests the need for increasing oral care for home dwellers with NCDs and nursing home residents.