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. 2024 Nov;24(11):1111-1119.
doi: 10.1111/ggi.14980. Epub 2024 Oct 7.

Consensus statement on "Oral frailty" from the Japan Geriatrics Society, the Japanese Society of Gerodontology, and the Japanese Association on Sarcopenia and Frailty

Tomoki Tanaka  1   2 , Hirohiko Hirano  1   3 , Kazunori Ikebe  1   4 , Takayuki Ueda  1   5 , Masanori Iwasaki  1   3   6 , Shunsuke Minakuchi  1   7 , Hidenori Arai  1   8 , Masahiro Akishita  1   3 , Koichi Kozaki  1   9 , Katsuya Iijima  1   2   10
Affiliations

Consensus statement on "Oral frailty" from the Japan Geriatrics Society, the Japanese Society of Gerodontology, and the Japanese Association on Sarcopenia and Frailty

Tomoki Tanaka et al. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2024 Nov.

Abstract

The concept of oral frailty was first proposed in Japan in 2014 by the "Joint Working Committee on Oral Frailty," consisting of three academic societies-the Japan Geriatrics Society, the Japanese Society of Gerodontology, and the Japanese Association on Sarcopenia and Frailty-to enhance public understanding of oral frailty. Oral frailty is a state between robust oral function (a "healthy mouth") and its decline, characterized by slight declines in oral function, including tooth loss and difficulties in eating and communicating, which increase the risk of impaired oral functional capacity but can be reversed with proper intervention and treatment. Oral frailty can be assessed using the Oral Frailty 5-item Checklist (OF-5) without the need for a dental health professional. Oral frailty is defined as having at least two of the following components: (i) fewer teeth, (ii) difficulty chewing, (iii) difficulty swallowing, (iv) dry mouth, and (v) low articulatory oral motor skills. Approximately 40% of community-dwelling older adults have oral frailty. Oral frailty is associated with poor dietary variety, social isolation, physical frailty, disability, and mortality. This statement introduces the concept and definition of oral frailty, a new assessment tool (OF-5), and concept diagrams for healthcare professionals and the general public. These tools aim to promote public awareness and facilitate collaboration between medical and dental healthcare providers. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 1111-1119.

Keywords: frailty; oral frailty; oral function; oral health; public health.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Conceptual diagram of oral frailty for healthcare professionals.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Conceptual diagram of oral frailty for the general public.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The Japanese concept of frailty. Modified from the literature “Masafumi Kuzuya. Impact of sarcopenia and frailty on elderly health. Jpn J Geriatr. 46(4), 279–285, 2009”.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Kaplan–Meier curves for long‐term care needs and mortality stratified by oral frailty status and oral and physical frailty status at baseline.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Associations between oral frailty, low dietary diversity, social isolation, and physical frailty.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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