Assessment and current status of oral hypofunction in patients admitted to an acute-care hospital: A cross-sectional study calling for enhanced regional collaboration

Background Early intervention for oral hypofunction is essential, but examinations are often difficult in acute-care inpatients due to medical instability and short stays. Limited research hinders smooth care transitions. Recent studies suggest that regular oral function evaluation may reduce health deterioration and support longevity. This study investigated the current status of oral function decline and assessment methods at our hospital. Methods A total of 194 inpatients referred for the evaluation of oral hypofunction between July 2022 and June 2024 were included. Study I examined patients’ demographic characteristics, family dentist status, and occurrence of oral candidiasis. Study II compared patients based on their ability to undergo detailed oral function tests and conducted a multivariate analysis. Study III explored the correlation between videofluoroscopic swallowing (VF) and the oral function test results. Results In Study I, oral candidiasis was associated with low serum albumin levels, absence of a family dentist, and presence of respiratory disease, whereas patients with dyslipidemia rarely had candidiasis. Study II showed that more than half of the patients were unable to complete detailed oral examinations. Significant correlations were observed among the presence of a family dentist, length of hospitalization, activities of daily living, and clinical outcomes. Study III revealed that VF was feasible in a greater proportion of patients and correlated more strongly with swallowing function than with tongue pressure or tongue–lip motor function. Conclusions More than half of patients in the acute phase of illness could not complete detailed oral examinations; however, VF may serve as a viable alternative. The presence of family dentists was associated with better oral function. Respiratory disease was linked to an increased prevalence of oral candidiasis, whereas dyslipidemia was associated with a lower prevalence, possibly owing to the antifungal effects of statins.