Assessment of frailty, disability and nutritional status inelderly people with and without dentures

This thesis compares frailty, disability, and nutrition in elderly with and without dental prostheses. It assesses oral health's impact on health and quality of life in Turkey's growing elderly population. Conducted with 356 individuals aged ≥65 in Yerköy, it included those with MMSE scores ≥24. Data were collected using Edmonton Frail Scale, Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form, WHODAS 2.0, and a demographic questionnaire. Analyses used SPSS 26.0, including Pearson correlation, regression, and Fisher's Exact Test. Findings show dental prosthesis use negatively affects frailty (β = 0.80, p = 0.04), nutrition (β = -0.60, p = 0.04), and disability (β = 5.00, p = 0.03). Full denture users have higher malnutrition risk (37.5%) and frailty (5.0%). Chewing difficulty strongly predicts outcomes (p < 0.001). Living with family and sufficient income reduce frailty. The study underscores oral health's role in elderly health, supporting healthy aging policies.