Effect of oral health dental state and risk of malnutrition in elderly people

Aim: To determine the risk of malnutrition in both institutionalized and non‐institutionalized elderly people of the region of Murcia in Spain. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was carried out on 465 participants (213 men and 252 women) aged 65 years or older, and representative of the population of the region of Murcia in Spain. The nutritional condition was determined with the Mini Nutritional Assessment screening tool. The following clinical oral health variables were recorded: number of teeth in the mouth, use of removable dentures and hygiene. Results: The prevalence of malnutrition was 7% in the study population, whereas the risk of malnutrition was 49%. A greater prevalence was recorded in the older and in the institutionalized participants. There were no significant differences in terms of malnutrition or the risk of malnutrition between the participants with or without dentures or between the dentate or edentulous participants. Conclusions: Age and institutionalization are parameters to be taken into account for detecting the risk of malnutrition in elderly people. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2013; 13: 43–49 .