Influencing factors of oral frailty in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes in China: a cross-sectional study based on the integral model of frailty.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the current status and influencing factors of oral frailty in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus to inform the development of oral management programs in this population.

METHODS

A total of 431 elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who visited two tertiary public hospitals in Nanchong City from March 2024 to October 2024 were enrolled in this study. The General Information Questionnaire, Oral Frailty Index-8 (OFI-8), Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT), Eating Assessment Questionnaire Tool-10 (EAT-10), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-5), and Geriatric Self Efficacy Scale for Oral Health Scale (GSEOH) were used to investigate and assess the factors related to oral frailty.

RESULTS

The prevalence of oral frailty in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes was 32.95% (142/431). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that advanced age(OR = 1.098, 95% CI: 1.054 ~ 1.146), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥ 7%(OR = 3.745, 95% CI: 1.203-12.647), dysphagia(OR = 8.401, 95% CI: 2.276-43.846), and poor oral health status (OR = 2.213, 95% CI: 1.134-4.394) were risk factors of oral frailty, and the number of remaining teeth ≥ 20(OR = 0.105, 95% CI: 0.046-0.217) and high oral health-related self-efficacy(OR = 0.934, 95% CI: 0.898-0.970) were protective factors against oral frailty (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The Integral Model of Frailty provides a new theoretical framework for the study of oral frailty. The main OF infuencing factors in the elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are age, HbA1c, dysphagia, poor oral health status, the number of remaining teeth, and oral health-related self-efficacy. Healthcare professionals should develop and implement targeted oral health management strategies for this population to improve oral health outcomes.