Oral Frailty
The Japan Geriatrics Society
Japanese Society of Gerodontology
Japanese Association on Sarcopenia and Frailty
The concept of oral frailty
Oral frailty is a state of oral function between the normal state of a “healthy mouth” and the “decline of oral function”.
The definition of oral frailty
Oral frailty is characterized by the accumulation of slight declines in oral function, including tooth loss and difficulties in eating and communicating, which increases the risk of impaired oral functional capacity. However, proper intervention and treatment can effectively improve this condition.
Oral Frailty five-item checklist: OF-5
Oral frailty is characterized by the presence of two or more of the above five components.
| Component | Questionnaire item | Response | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicable | Not applicable | ||
| Fewer teeth | How many of your natural teeth are left? | 0-19 teeth | ≥20 teeth |
| Difficulty in chewing | Do you have any difficulties eating tough foods compared to 6 months ago? | Yes | No |
| Difficulty in swallowing | Have you choked on your tea or soup recently? | Yes | No |
| Dry mouth | Do you often experience having a dry mouth? | Yes | No |
| Low articulatory oral motor skill* | Have you had difficulty with clear pronunciation recently? | Yes | No |
*The measurement of the repetitive articulatory rate or oral diadochokinesis (ODK) is a reliable method of articulatory oral motor skill. In addition to the above 5 components of the OF-5, ODK can be measured outside healthcare settings using specific devices or applications.
| Component | Measurement | Response | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicable | Not applicable | ||
| Low articulatory oral motor skills* | ODK with/ta/ | <6.0 times/s | ≥6.0 times/s |
Publication
- The Japan Geriatrics Society, Japanese Society of Gerodontology, Japanese Association on Sarcopenia and Frailty, Consensus Statement on Oral Frailty, Ronen Shika Igaku, 2023, Volume 38, Issue supplement, Pages 86-96, in Japanese.
- Tomoki Tanaka, Hirohiko Hirano, Kazunori Ikebe, Takayuki Ueda, Masanori Iwasaki, Shunsuke Minakuchi, Hidenori Arai, Masahiro Akishita, Koichi Kozaki, and Katsuya Iijima. Consensus statement on “Oral Frailty” from the Japan Geriatrics Society, the Japanese Society of Gerodontology, and the Japanese Association on Sarcopenia and Frailty.Geriatr Gerontol Int.
Conceptual diagram of oral frailty
Download:
Conceptual diagram of oral frailty for healthcare professionals.
Conceptual diagram of oral frailty for the general public.
Translations of Consensus Statement on Oral Frailty
- Japanese (original version)
- English
Tomoki Tanaka, Hirohiko Hirano, Kazunori Ikebe, Takayuki Ueda, Masanori Iwasaki, Shunsuke Minakuchi, Hidenori Arai, Masahiro Akishita, Koichi Kozaki, and Katsuya Iijima. Consensus statement on “Oral Frailty” from the Japan Geriatrics Society, the Japanese Society of Gerodontology, and the Japanese Association on Sarcopenia and Frailty.Geriatr Gerontol Int. in press.
Translations of the Oral Frailty 5-item Checklist (OF-5)
- Japanese (original version)
- English
- Chinese (Simplified Chinese) In preparation for publication
- Chinese (Traditional Chinese) In preparation for publication
- Thai In preparation for publication
The Joint Working Committee on Oral Frailty by the Japan Geriatrics Society, Japanese Society of Gerodontology, and Japanese Association on Sarcopenia and Frailty expect that the Oral Frailty 5-item Checklist (OF-5) will be translated into many languages and widely disseminated.
In addition, we would like to have one official translated version of the OF-5 per language, produced through a scientific process. If you are interested in the official translation of the OF-5 into your language, please get in touch with the working group by email (jsg@kokuhoken.or.jp). In the list above, languages marked with “In preparation for publication” are already in the process of being translated.