CHICAGO – Regular dental care to replace missing teeth or preserve denture function may be critical for the very old in maintaining a balanced diet and consuming adequate amounts of nutrients, say University of Iowa researchers in a study of 220 persons, averaging 79 years of age.

According to the study, published in this month’s Journal of the American Dental Association, very old persons with fewer functional teeth or wearing ill-fitting dentures consumed fewer nutrients than subjects with more teeth or without denture problems.

“Reduced consumption of needed nutrients may increase the risk of morbidity and hasten death in the oldest old,” warns lead investigator Teresa A. Marshall, Ph.D., R.D., assistant professor, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa.

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