Edentulism as part of the general health problems of elderly adults

Abstract

Though the prevalence of edentulism has decreased over the last decades, there will be a relevant proportion of edentulous individuals in the ageing societies worldwide. The impact of edentulism on daily oral function and social interactions has significant plausibility and has been described using multiple dimensions. However, evidence of general health associated with complete tooth loss is limited. To highlight the importance of oral health to general wellbeing and its interrelated dependencies this article reviews international literature on the psychological and physiological aspects of edentulism, particularly on Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL), nutrition aspects as well as morbidity and mortality.