Association Between Oral Health and Frailty Among American Older Adults

Oral health is associated with the frailty index, and nutritional intake appears to have a modest effect on the association. Periodontal disease has a weaker association with frailty compared with number of teeth. The findings highlight the importance of maintaining good oral health at older age and incorporating oral health indicators in routine geriatric assessments. Future research should investigate the role of potential mediating factors in this association.