Relationship of Nutritional Status with Oral Health Status in Visual Impairment
Abstract: To analyze the
relationship of nutritional status with oral health status among visual
impairment. The subjects were 146 elderly people (70 males and 76 females) aged
20-72 years (mean 48.8±6.2 years), Phitsanulok, Thailand. Mini Nutritional
Assessment (MNA) questionnaires were administered. Oral examinations
investigated the number of present teeth, DMFT and Functional Tooth Units
(FTUs). According to the MNA score, 44.5% of subjects were categorized as
normal nutrition, 47.3% as questionable, and 8.2 % as malnutrition. The mean
numbers of present teeth and FTUs were 17.8±6.9 and 6.9±3.2, respectively.
Subjects with malnutrition had lower numbers of present teeth (10.7±1.4) and
FTUs (4.3±1.7) than those with normal nutrition (20.2±0.7 and 12.3±0.5) (p≤0.05).
Nutritional status of visual impaired Thai was associated with mean numbers of
present teeth and FTUs. Keeping many natural teeth or having appropriate
numbers of FTUs by replacing missing teeth with dentures would prevention
malnutrition.
Keywords: visual impairment;
oral health; nutritional status; functional tooth unit; MNA
Penulis: Patcharaphol Samnieng
Kode Jurnal: jpkedokterangg150369
