Empirical Study of the Association Between Oral Health Status and Nutritional Intake in Elderly Residents of Geriatric Homes in Oyo State

Oral health-related functional limitations affect dietary variety and nutritional adequacy in elderly populations, and empirically characterising this relationship in Nigerian geriatric home residents provides evidence for integrated nutritional and dental care. This study empirically examined the association between oral health status and nutritional intake among 180 elderly residents (aged 65 and above) at three registered geriatric homes in Ibadan, Ogbomoso, and Osogbo, Oyo State. Oral health assessment included DMFT, number of functional tooth units, denture status and functionality, and oral health-related quality of life using GOHAI. Nutritional assessment used a 24-hour dietary recall and the Mini Nutritional Assessment. Spearman correlation and multivariate regression were applied. A significant positive correlation was found between functional tooth unit count and dietary variety score (rho = 0.54, p < 0.001). Residents with fewer than 10 functional teeth showed significantly lower protein intake and higher rates of malnutrition risk. Denture wearers who were dissatisfied with denture retention had significantly worse MNA scores than satisfied wearers. GOHAI score was significantly associated with reduced fruit and vegetable consumption. The study confirms that oral function is a significant determinant of nutritional quality in this geriatric population. Recommendations include integrated nutritional and dental assessments in geriatric home care, provision of well-fitting prostheses for denture wearers, and nutrition counselling for elderly residents with compromised oral function in Oyo State geriatric facilities. Keywords: oral health, nutritional intake, elderly, geriatric homes, Oyo State