Ethnicity, Aging, and Oral Health Outcomes: A Conceptual Framework

Shifts in food selection patterns result from impairments in masticatory ability, and the extent to which any dietary alterations occur appears to be influenced by the degree of impairment. Moreover, these shifts can be modified by a variety of physiologic, social, economic, and psychologic factors. The preference for softer, easier-to-chew foods in persons with complete dentures requires that the foods selected meet daily nutritional requirements. In view of the large proportion of individuals in the United States with complete dentures, an understanding of how these multiple factors affect the nutritional status of edentulous elderly persons may lead to more rational dietary approaches to the maintenance of health.