title: Association of hyposalivation with oral function, nutrition and oral health in community-dwelling elderly Thai.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was to analyze the association of hyposalivation with oral function, nutritional status and oral health in community-dwelling elderly Thai.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were 612 elderly people (mean age = 68.8, SD 5.9 years). Oral function (tasting, speaking, swallowing and chewing) and Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) were evaluated. Oral examination investigated teeth and periodontal status. Both unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva were collected for 5 minutes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among all subjects, 14.4 % were classified within the hyposalivation. Hyposalivation was associated with gender, systemic disease, medication, and smoking. Subjects within the hyposalivation group had a higher number of decayed teeth and a higher prevalence of periodontitis than the normal salivation group (p < 0.05). The hyposalivation group also had a lower number of teeth present and a lower mean MNA score than the normal salivation group (p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that hyposalivation in both dentate and edentulous subjects was significantly associated with tasting, speaking, swallowing and chewing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggested that hyposalivation is a risk factor not only for dental caries and periodontal disease but also for taste disturbances, speaking problems, swallowing problems, poor chewing ability and malnutrition. Monitoring salivary flow is an important measure in the care of older people.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Health Promotion, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Samnieng
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shinada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zaitsu
authors.forename: F A C
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000453:epidemiology; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*; D009909:Oral Health; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000502:physiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000453:epidemiology*