The aim was to examine the relationships between oral functions and support/care-need certification in older people aged ≥ 75 years using the National Health Insurance (NHI) database system and data from Kani City, Gifu, Japan. In total, 732 older Japanese people aged ≥ 75 years who did not have support/care-need certification and underwent dental check-ups in Kani City in 2017 were followed up until 2020. Chewing state, tongue and lip function, and swallowing function were assessed by a self-administered questionnaire, an oral diadochokinesis test, and a repetitive saliva-swallowing test, respectively. The presence or absence of systemic diseases and of support/care-need certification was based on data collected by the NHI database. At follow up, 121 (17%) participants had support/care-need certification. The participants with support/care-need certification included more women (p < 0.001) and older people (p < 0.001); and had more hypertension (p = 0.003), musculoskeletal disorders (p < 0.001), pneumonia (p = 0.044), poor chewing state (p < 0.001), and poor swallowing function (p = 0.003) than those without support/care-need certification. Furthermore, the presence of support/care-need certification at follow up was associated with sex (woman: odds ratio [OR], 2.120; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.354 to 3.317), age (OR, 1.203; CI, 1.139 to 1.270), chewing state (poor: OR, 2.534; CI, 1.409 to 4.557), and swallowing function (poor: OR, 2.372; CI, 1.248 to 4.510) at baseline. However, tongue and lip function were not associated with support/care-need certification. The results indicate that older Japanese people aged ≥ 75 years with a poor chewing state and poor swallowing function at baseline had a higher risk for support/care-need certification after three years.

Predictive factors associated with a decline in swallowing function after 2 years were examined in 3409 Japanese older people aged ≥ 75 years who had undergone a dental checkup in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Participants with normal swallowing function in a baseline survey in April 2018 were followed for 2 years. Swallowing function was assessed using a repetitive saliva swallowing test. In our study, 429 participants (13%) who were swallowing less than three times in 30 s based on a repetitive saliva swallowing test after 2 years were diagnosed as those with decline in swallowing function. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed the decline in swallowing function after 2 years was associated with the male gender (odds ratio [ORs]: 0.772; 95% confidence interval [CIs]: 0.615–0.969), age ≥ 81 years (presence; ORs: 1.523; 95% CIs: 1.224–1.895), support/care-need certification (presence; ORs: 1.815; 95% CIs: 1.361–2.394), periodontal pocket depth (PPD) ≥ 4 mm (presence; ORs: 1.469; 95% CIs: 1.163–1.856), difficulty in biting hard food (yes; ORs: 1.439; 95% CIs: 1.145–1.808), choking on tea and water (yes; ORs: 2.543; 95% CIs: 2.025–3.193), and dry mouth (yes; ORs: 1.316; 95% CIs: 1.052–1.646) at baseline. Therefore, the dental checkup items associated with a decline in swallowing function after 2 years were a PPD ≥ 4 mm, difficulty in biting hard food, choking on tea and water, and dry mouth. PPD status and confirming to the self-administered questionnaire about biting, choking, and dry mouth may be useful in predicting future decline in swallowing function.

Background/Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between swallowing function and low serum albumin levels in older Japanese people (aged ≥ 75 years). Methods: A total of 3258 participants (1325 males, 1933 females; mean age, 80.8 years) who had a dental checkup in Gifu City, Japan, between April 2020 and March 2021 were recruited. Swallowing function was assessed using the repetitive saliva swallow test, with poor swallowing function defined as swallowing fewer than three times in 30 s. A serum albumin level < 3.6 G/dL was considered low. Results: In total, 78 participants (2%) had a low serum albumin level. Furthermore, after adjusting for age, gender, circulatory disease, support/care-need certification, number of present teeth, and tongue and lip function, a low serum albumin level was positively associated with older (odds ratio [OR]: 1.115; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.064–1.169), male (OR: 2.208; 95% CI: 1.360–3.584), circulatory disease (OR: 1.829; 95% CI: 1.079–3.099), support/care-need certification (OR: 2.087; 95% CI: 1.208–3.606), and poor swallowing function (OR: 2.379; CI: 1.377–4.112). Conclusions: These results indicate that poor swallowing function was associated with a low serum albumin level in older Japanese people aged ≥ 75 years.

Predictive factors associated with a decline in swallowing function after 2 years were examined in 3,409 Japanese older people aged ≥ 75 years who had undergone a dental checkup in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Participants with normal swallowing function in a baseline survey in April 2018 were followed for 2 years. Swallowing function was assessed by a repetitive saliva swallowing test. After 2 years, 429 participants (13%) who could not swallow at least three times in 30 seconds were diagnosed as having a decline in swallowing function. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed the decline in swallowing function after 2 years was associated with male gender (odds ratio [ORs]: 0.772; 95% confidence interval [CIs]: 0.615–0.969), age ≥ 81 years (presence; ORs: 1.523; 95% CIs: 1.224–1.895), support/care-need certification (presence; ORs: 1.815; 95% CIs: 1.361–2.394), periodontal pocket depth (PPD) ≥ 4 mm (presence; ORs: 1.469; 95% CIs: 1.163–1.856), difficulty in biting hard food (yes; ORs: 1.439; 95% CIs: 1.145–1.808), choking on tea and water (yes; ORs: 2.543; 95% CIs: 2.025–3.193), and dry mouth (yes; ORs: 1.316; 95% CIs: 1.052–1.646) at baseline. Therefore, the dental checkup items associated with a decline in swallowing function after 2 years were a PPD ≥ 4 mm, difficulty in biting hard food, choking on tea and water, and dry mouth. PPD status and confirming to the self-administered questionnaire about biting, choking, and dry mouth may be useful in predicting future decline in swallowing function.

Background: The time from mastication to swallowing is used as an indicator of masticatory and swallowing functions. However, there have been no reports on reasonable eating times associated with eating satisfaction. Clarifying the reasonable time for eating and drinking to achieve eating satisfaction will indicate the level of mastication and swallowing functions that contributes to maintaining an individual’s quality of life. Objective: This study aimed to determine the time from food intake to the end of swallowing that is associated with eating satisfaction. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 437 community-dwelling older people was conducted. Mastication and swallowing times (SST-MST) were measured using the Saku-Saku Test with a 2 g rice cracker. Food intake difficulty and eating satisfaction were evaluated using a questionnaire. The association between the SST-MST and the difficulty in eating food or eating satisfaction was assessed by sensitivity, specificity, Youden index, sensitivity–specificity ratio, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, odds ratio, and 95% confidence interval. Results: Most indices indicated that a cutoff point of 25 s on the SST-MST was associated with not having difficulty in eating food items. Moreover, when the SST-MST cutoff was set to 25 s, all indices showed a favorable association with eating satisfaction. Conclusions: In community-dwelling older people in their 70s and 80s, an SST-MST of about 25 s for 2 g of rice crackers was modestly associated with eating satisfaction.

Background/Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between swallowing function and serum albumin levels in Japanese older people (age ≥ 75 years). Methods: A total of 3258 participants (1325 males, 1933 females; mean age, 80.8 years) who had a dental checkup in Gifu City, Japan, between April 2020 and March 2021 were recruited. Swallowing function was assessed using the repetitive saliva swallow test, with poor swallowing function defined as swallowing fewer than three times in 30 seconds. A serum albumin level < 3.6 G/dL was considered low. Results: In total, 78 participants (2%) had a low serum albumin level. These participants were significantly more likely to be older (p < 0.001), male (p = 0.030), to have circulatory disease (p < 0.001), support/care-need certification (p < 0.001), poor tongue and lip function (p < 0.001), poor swallowing function (p < 0.001), and number of present teeth ≥ 20 teeth (p = 0.001). Furthermore, after adjusting for age, gender, circulatory disease, support/care-need certification, number of present teeth, tongue and lip function, and swallowing function, a low serum albumin level was positively associated with older (odds ratio [OR]: 1.115; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.064–1.169), male (OR: 2.208; 95% CI: 1.360–3.584), circulatory disease (OR: 1.829; 95% CI: 1.079–3.099), support/care-need certification (OR: 2.087; 95% CI: 1.208–3.606), and poor swallowing function (OR: 2.379; CI: 1.377–4.112). Conclusions: These results suggest a positive relationship between poor swallowing function and low serum albumin levels in Japanese older people.