title: Functional tooth units and nutritional status of older people in care homes in Indonesia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between functional tooth units (FTUs) and nutritional status.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred females (mean age: 72.4 ± 8.2 years) at four private care homes in Jakarta, Indonesia were interviewed and clinically examined. The oral examination included the assessment of teeth, prosthetic status, and number of FTUs. The total number of FTUs was further divided by tooth composition: natural tooth against natural tooth (NN-FTUs), natural tooth against denture (ND-FTUs), and denture against denture (DD-FTUs). Nutritional status was evaluated using the body mass index (BMI) and the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean numbers of teeth present, NN-FTUs, ND-FTUs, DD-FTUs, and total FTUs were 13.1 ± 10.4, 1.7 ± 3.0, 1.2 ± 3.3, 0.4 ± 1.2 and 3.3 ± 4.4, respectively. The mean BMI and MNA scores were 24.8 ± 5.0 and 22.6 ± 2.8, respectively. Subjects with a normal BMI had a significantly higher total number of FTUs (3.6 ± 4.6) compared with underweight subjects (0.1 ± 0.3). Subjects with a normal MNA had a significantly higher number of NN-FTU (2.6 ± 3.7) compared to those who were at risk or in a state of under-nutrition (1.2 ± 2.4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed significant relationships between the number of FTUs and nutritional status. Keeping the posterior occlusion should be emphasized in order to maintain good nutritional status in older subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Health Promotion, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Dental Public Health and Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Indonesia, Jakarta Pusat, IndonesiaSection of Preventive Oral Health Care Science, Department of Oral Health Care Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adiatman
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohnuki
authors.forename: Chiyoko
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hakuta
authors.forename: Kayoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shinada
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003729:Dental Care; D003778:Dentures; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000503:physiopathology; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D013851:Thinness / Q000503:physiopathology; D014070:Tooth / Q000502:physiology*