Association between masticatory ability, oral health-related quality of life and cognitive function in the elderly population using structural equation modeling

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between masticatory ability, oral health-related quality of life, and cognitive function in an elderly population using structural equation modeling. METHODS: A total of 308 subjects, aged 65 years and over, were recruited from the senior citizen center in Daegu, South Korea and provided consent for inclusion in the study. The Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) was used to assess the level of cognitive function. Masticatory ability was evaluated through chewing tests, patient-perceived masticatory function and, measurement of relative occlusal forces on molar teeth using the T-Scan III® system. All data were analyzed using χ² tests, t-tests, and one-way ANOVA in SPSS version 23.0 for windows. Structural equation modeling was performed using SPSS AMOS version 22.0. RESULTS: There was a significant association between cognitive function and molar teeth occlusal force. Ability of food chewing score and patient-perceived masticatory function could affect oral health-related quality of life (P < 0.05). Higher occlusal forces on molar teeth, compared to anterior teeth, positively correlated with higher cognitive function. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that an individual's oral health condition could affect molar teeth occlusal forces and may be related to a risk of developing dementia. Therefore, there is a need for implementing nation-wide policies to improve oral health, such as masticatory function, in the elderly population.