Oral Frailty and Its Relationship with Physical Frailty in Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study Using the Oral Frailty Five-Item Checklist

Oral frailty, first identified in Japan in 2013, refers to a state between healthy oral function and severe decline, marked by minor issues, such as tooth loss and chewing difficulties. The oral frailty five-item checklist (OF-5) enables non-dental professionals to evaluate oral frailty using five key indicators: remaining teeth count, chewing difficulties, swallowing difficulties, dry mouth, and articulatory oral motor skills, and limited studies exist. This study examined the relationship between oral and physical frailties in older adults and assessed the prognosis of physical frailty using the OF-5. Participants aged ≥65 years were recruited from the frail elderly in the Sasayama-Tamba Area study in Sasayama/Tamba area, Hyogo, Japan, and their physical function was assessed in terms of grip strength, walking speed, and skeletal muscle mass. Blood markers, such as cystatin C, an indicator of renal function, were also analyzed. A cross-sectional analysis indicated that oral frailty was correlated with reduced muscle mass, walking speed, and physical function. Women had lower hemoglobin and albumin levels and a greater prevalence of frailty than men. Longitudinal analysis revealed that initial OF-5 scores predicted increased physical frailty after 2–3 years, especially in those with higher baseline scores. The OF-5 was a significant factor for frailty progression in both sexes. These results suggest that early detection of oral frailty via the OF-5 may be useful in preventing the progression of overall frailty in older adults.