Association Between Edentulism and Postural Stability Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

Background

Maintaining postural stability is crucial for healthy aging, and impaired balance increases the risk of falls and functional decline. Edentulism is common among older adults and may influence neuromuscular coordination and systemic health, yet its association with balance ability remains underexplored.

Methods

This study was based on cross-sectional data from the 2015 of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). A total of 13 047 participants aged ≥ 45 years were included in the analysis. Basic standing balance ability was assessed using standardized physical performance tests. Participants who answered 'yes' to the question 'Have you lost all your teeth?' were classified as edentulous, and those who answered 'no' were classified as non-edentulous. Survey-weighted modified Poisson regression models with robust variance estimation were constructed to examine the association between edentulism and basic standing balance ability. Subgroup analyses were conducted across demographic, lifestyle, and clinical strata.

Results

Overall, 464 participants (3.6%) were unable to maintain basic standing balance. In the fully adjusted Poisson regression model, edentulism was significantly associated with balance performance (PR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.48-0.81, p < 0.001), indicating a lower prevalence of maintaining basic standing balance among participants with edentulism.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that edentulism may serve as a simple clinical marker for identifying middle-aged and older adults at increased risk of postural instability and physical functional impairment.