Oral Function as a Predictor of Skeletal Muscle Mass Decline in Community‐Dwelling Older Adults

Background Normal oral function is pivotal for maintaining systemic health in older adults as it directly affects skeletal muscle mass and overall physical well‐being. Nonetheless, specific oral function–related factors influencing the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) in healthy older adults remain underexplored. Objective To identify oral function–related factors associated with a low SMI in healthy, community‐dwelling older adults. Methods This cross‐sectional study included 165 healthy older adults aged ≥ 75 years from senior culture centres in Korea. Participants were categorised into normal and low SMI groups, with low SMI defined as < 7.0 kg/m 2 for men and < 5.7 kg/m 2 for women. The following oral function–related factors were assessed and classified as normal or abnormal based on standardised evaluation criteria and then compared between the groups: Number of remaining teeth, tongue pressure (TP), masticatory performance (MP), oral diadochokinesis, oral dryness, swallowing function and oral hygiene. Multiple logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with a low SMI. Results The prevalence of a low SMI was 19.4% ( n = 32). After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, reduced MP (odds ratio, 3.899; 95% confidence interval, 1.103–13.779) and reduced TP (odds ratio, 3.416; 95% confidence interval, 1.035–11.270) were identified as factors associated with a low SMI. Conclusion This study demonstrated that a reduction in MP and TP contributes to a low SMI in healthy older adults, highlighting the importance of oral function in maintaining systemic health and promoting healthy ageing.