Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
TURKIYE KLINIKLERI TIP BILIMLERI DERGISI, cilt.29, sa.5, ss.1076-1084, 2009 (SCI-Expanded)
Objective: To investigate a possible relationship between the number of teeth and chewing function and nutritional status of patients over 55 years of age. Material and Methods: A total of 145 patients who were hospitalized for the treatment of non-malignant diseases were included in the study. On the first two days of hospitalization, mini nutritional assessment (MNA), body mass index (BMI) and laboratory analysis (albumin, prealbumin, transferrin and total protein, vitamin B-12 and folic acid, and serum iron) were used to assess the nutritional status of patients. Dental examination of the patients was made by two dentists at bedside using a mobile light source and the number of teeth was recorded to classify the patients into two categories as having more or less than 20 teeth. Patients were interviewed and for each patient a questionnaire related to general health and nutritional/dental status was filled out. Results: Chewing efficacy was inversely correlated with the number of missing teeth (chi(2) = 15.753, p = 0.001). There was a significant relationship between MNA scores and number of missing teeth (chi(2) = 6.231, p = 0.044). Patients assessed as malnourished according to MNA scores also had low levels of albumin and prealbumin (chi(2) = 10.856, p = 0.004 and chi(2) = 8.653. p = 0.013, respectively). No significant relationship was found between albumin, prealbumin, transferrin, total protein, vitamin B-12, folic acid, serum iron levels and the number of teeth and chewing function (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with >= 20 teeth were not malnourished. The correlations between the MNA scores, the number of teeth and chewing function were significant.