Tooth loss as risk factor for foreign-body asphyxiation in nursing-home patients

Foreign body asphyxiation causes severe medical conditions including pneumonia in the elderly requiring nursing care. The objective of this study was to elucidate the relationships between insufficient occlusal support due to tooth loss and the onset of asphyxiation accidents, and determine preventive measures for such accidents in nursing homes in Japan. The subjects were 437 elderly (110 men and 327 women) requiring nursing care. The frequency and risk factors for asphyxiation accidents and the food causing asphyxiation were examined in these subjects for 2.5 years, from June 2006 to December 2008. During the study period, 51 of the 437 subjects suffered asphyxiation. Self-feeding ability and loss of occlusal support were associated with a covariate-adjusted relative ratio for asphyxiation of 3.1 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.50–6.44) and 1.7 (95% CI = 1.12–2.74), respectively. To prevent asphyxiation in elderly people, it was found that maintaining or restoring occlusal support may be required. It was concluded that self-feeding ability and loss of occlusal support are significant risk factors for foreign-body asphyxiation among elderly people requiring nursing care.