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The Dietary Adequacy Of Edentulous Older Patients
Greksa et al
Tooth loss, even with denture replacement, tends to result in a reduced masticatory functional capacity and significant alterations of dietary patterns. Edentulous patients consume fewer tough but nutritious foods, such as meat, fruits, and raw vegetables, and increase their consumption of softer foods such as processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and soft drinks. The latter group of foods has a lower content of many essential nutrients and a high content of salt, sugar, cholesterol and fat. This dietary inadequacy leads to further deterioration of oral health and increased risk for various chronic diseases.
This study compares the dietary patterns and adequacies of 34 edentulous subjects (16 men, 18 women) who regularly wore dentures with 38 dentate subjects (15 men, 23 women). The subjects were between the ages of 51 and 83 years.
The results of this study suggest that tooth loss does not result in a modification of eating habits. However, they do indicate that tooth loss and denture wearing is associated with a decrease in dietary adequacy. In particular, the diet of the dentate subjects tended to be superior to that of the edentulous subjects, as indicated by lower fat and cholesterol %RDAs and by higher %RDAs for protein and all of the vitamins and minerals. Contrary to the findings of previous studies, the results of this study indicate that tooth loss and denture wearing are not associatedwith a change in dietary patterns but are associated with a decrease in dietary adequacy.
These findings can be used in dental office education programs to encourage patients to maintain their teeth throughout life. Secondly, once tooth loss and denture replacement has occurred, this data suggests that patients should be directed to a registered dietician who can assist them in monitoring their diets more closely to ensure that there is not a decrease in dietary adequacy, resulting in decreases in their overall and dental health.
J Prosthet Dent 1995; 73: 142-5.
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