Appetite, oral health and weight loss in community-dwelling older men: an observational study from the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project (CHAMP)

Table 3 Oral health status by appetite^a

Variables	Total population (N = 542)		Good appetite^b (N = 340)		Poor appetite^b (N = 202)
			n	%	n	%	p value
Number of natural teeth (mean ± S.D.)	15.8 ± 9.3		16.1 ± 9.4		15.4 ± 9.2		0.39
Total FTU (mean ± S.D.)	7.7 ± 3.7		7.7 ± 3.8		7.7 ± 3.6		0.98
Has < 20 natural teeth	301	(55.5)	181	(53.2)	120	(59.4)	0.162
Denture wearing status
Full denture (mandibular + maxillary)	71	(13.1)	45	(13.2)	26	(12.9)
Single full denture and/or partial denture	238	(43.9)	134	(39.4)	104	(51.5)	0.02
No denture	233	(43.0)	161	(47.4)	72	(35.6)
Limited chewing capacity ^c	152	(28.0)	82	(24.1)	70	(34.7)	0.01
Swallowing difficulty (Occasionally/Fairly often/Very often)	65	(12.0)	41	(12.1)	24	(11.9)	0.95
Mouth dryness (Dry: no droplet within 30 s)	346	(63.8)	204	(60.0)	142	(70.3)	0.02
Self-evaluated oral health (Fair/Poor)	151	(27.9)	80	(23.5)	71	(35.1)	< 0.01

^a Appetite was assessed by applying the question: how would you describe your appetite? The response options were: 'very good', 'good', 'average', 'poor', or 'very poor'
^b Good appetite was defined as very good or good. Poor appetite was defined as average, poor, and very poor
^c Chewing capacity were evaluated by asking “Are you currently able to chew?” for 11 food items. The participants who answered "yes" to 10 - 11 food items were classified as "no problem", or otherwise classified as "limited"

ISSN: 1471-2318