Table 2 Prevalence of oral frailty by different measurement methods (N = 310)

Age (years)

70.0 (67.0, 74.0)

72.60 ± 6.09

71.0 (67.0, 75.0)

72.0 (68.5, 77.0)

70.78 ± 4.18

Age group (years)

60–69

90 (29.0)

0.11

0.95

25 (8.1)

9.31

0.010

68 (21.9)

3.53

0.17

19 (6.1)

10.15

0.006

3 (1)

0.68

0.75^‡

70–79

109 (35.2)

51 (16.5)

78 (25.2)

37 (11.9)

6 (1.9)

80+

15 (4.8)

9 (2.9)

15 (4.8)

9 (2.9)

0 (0)

Sex

female

108 (34.8)

0.36

0.55

36 (11.6)

4.02

0.045

90 (29.0)

2.47

0.12

32 (10.3)

0.19

0.67

3 (1)

-

0.32^†

male

106 (34.2)

49 (15.8)

71 (22.9)

33 (10.6)

6 (1.9)

Education level

illiteracy

40 (12.9)

3.16

0.37

16 (5.2)

1.55

0.67

31 (10.0)

2.33

0.51

14 (4.5)

1.52

0.68

1 (0.3)

1.43

0.76^‡

primary school

103 (33.2)

43 (13.9)

79 (25.5)

32 (10.3)

6 (1.9)

middle school

43 (13.9)

16 (5.2)

32 (10.3)

11 (3.5)

1 (0.3)

high school and above

28 (9.0)

10 (3.2)

19 (6.1)

8 (2.6)

1 (0.3)

Marriage

married

174 (56.1)

1.82

0.18

64 (20.6)

5.28

0.022

130 (41.9)

1.48

0.22

48 (15.5)

5.18

0.023

7 (2.3)

-

0.65^†

widowed/unmarried

40 (12.9)

21 (6.8)

31 (10.0)

17 (5.5)

2 (0.6)

Employment status

employed

17 (5.5)

4.92

0.09

5 (1.6)

5.68

0.06

12 (3.9)

4.49

0.11

4 (1.3)

3.52

0.17

2 (0.6)

3.35

0.14^‡

retired

166 (53.5)

64 (20.6)

124 (40.0)

49 (15.8)

5 (1.6)

others

31 (10.0)

16 (5.2)

25 (8.1)

12 (3.9)

2 (0.6)

Living arrangement

living alone

40 (12.9)

2.33

0.51

14 (4.5)

4.28

0.23

28 (9.0)

0.88

0.83

9 (2.9)

5.29

0.15

1 (0.3)

6.09

0.08^‡

with spouse

141 (45.5)

56 (18.1)

110 (35.5)

43 (13.9)

6 (1.9)

with children

25 (8.1)

13 (4.2)

17 (5.5)

11 (3.5)

0 (0)

others

8 (2.6)

2 (0.6)

6 (1.9)

2 (0.6)

2 (0.6)

Source of income

pension

63 (20.3)

3.48

0.18

20 (6.5)

6.55

0.038

47 (15.2)

0.15

0.93

16 (5.2)

2.01

0.37

3 (1)

4.19

0.11^‡

child support or others

37 (11.9)

12 (3.9)

31 (10.0)

11 (3.5)

4 (1.3)

government subsidy

114 (36.8)

53 (17.1)

83 (26.8)

38 (12.3)

2 (0.6)

Monthly incomes

<2000

152 (49.0)

1.15

0.56

67 (21.6)

4.45

0.11

118 (38.1)

2.56

0.28

50 (16.1)

2.02

0.36

7 (2.3)

0.14

1^‡

2000–4000

30 (9.7)

10 (3.2)

20 (6.5)

7 (2.3)

1 (0.3)

>4000

32 (10.3)

8 (2.6)

23 (7.4)

8 (2.6)

1 (0.3)

Lifestyle

Alcohol drinking

no

176 (56.8)

2.17

0.14

67 (21.6)

0.10

0.75

135 (43.5)

3.11

0.08

53 (17.1)

0.12

0.73

5 (1.6)

-

0.08^†

yes

38 (12.3)

18 (5.8)

26 (8.4)

12 (3.9)

4 (1.3)

Sedentary time

<5 h/d

158 (51)

4.64

0.10

61 (19.7)

0.13

0.94

125 (40.3)

8.61

0.013

45 (14.5)

0.15

0.93

7 (2.3)

0.09

1^‡

5 ~ 8 h/d

45 (14.5)

20 (6.5)

30 (9.7)

17 (5.5)

2 (0.6)

≥ 8 h/d

11 (3.5)

4 (1.3)

6 (1.9)

3 (1.0)

0 (0)

Smoking

no

170 (54.8)

1.05

0.31

63 (20.3)

3.57

0.06

128 (41.3)

0.47

0.50

50 (16.1)

0.87

0.35

5 (1.6)

-

0.07^†

yes

44 (14.2)

22 (7.1)

33 (10.6)

15 (4.8)

4 (1.3)

Passive smoking

no

157 (50.6)

3.66

0.06

61 (19.7)

1.43

0.23

117 (37.7)

2.66

0.10

45 (14.5)

2.38

0.12

7 (2.3)

-

1^†

yes

57 (18.4)

24 (7.7)

44 (14.2)

20 (6.5)

2 (0.6)

Tea drinking

no

137 (44.2)

0.07

0.80

53 (17.1)

0.07

0.79

102 (32.9)

0.01

0.94

41 (13.2)

0.01

0.93

6 (1.9)

-

1^†

yes

77 (24.8)

32 (10.3)

59 (19.0)

24 (7.7)

3 (1)

Leisure activities

low

128 (41.3)

1.45

0.49

58 (18.7)

2.11

0.35

93 (30.0)

3.11

0.21

44 (14.2)

1.96

0.38

6 (1.9)

0.15

1^‡

moderate

30 (9.7)

10 (3.2)

21 (6.8)

9 (2.9)

1 (0.3)

high

56 (18.1)

17 (5.5)

47 (15.2)

12 (3.9)

2 (0.6)

Comorbidities

Chronic disease

no

65 (21)

0.49

0.48

32 (10.3)

1.97

0.16

44 (14.2)

2.84

0.09

23 (7.4)

0.54

0.46

4 (1.3)

-

0.47^†

yes

149 (48.1)

53 (17.1)

117 (37.7)

42 (13.5)

5 (1.6)

Hypertension

no

82 (26.5)

2.01

0.16

38 (12.3)

0.68

0.41

59 (19.0)

2.59

0.11

29 (9.4)

0.45

0.50

5 (1.6)

-

0.50

yes

132 (42.6)

47 (15.2)

102 (32.9)

36 (11.6)

4 (1.3)

Coronary heart disease

no

193 (62.3)

1.83

0.18

76 (24.5)

0.74

0.39

146 (47.1)

0.38

0.54

58 (18.7)

0.61

0.44

7 (2.3)

-

0.17^†

yes

21 (6.8)

9 (2.9)

15 (4.8)

7 (2.3)

2 (0.6)

Rheumatoid arthritis

no

206 (66.5)

-

0.28^†

80 (25.8)

-

0.07^†

153 (49.4)

-

0.038^†

60 (19.4)

-

0.022^†

9 (2.9)

-

1^†

yes

8 (2.6)

5 (1.6)

8 (2.6)

5 (1.6)

0 (0)

Diabetes

no

166 (53.5)

1.34

0.25

64 (20.6)

1.18

0.28

119 (38.4)

6.06

0.014

46 (14.8)

3.70

0.054

7 (2.3)

-

1^†

yes

48 (15.5)

21 (6.8)

42 (13.5)

19 (6.1)

2 (0.6)

Gastritis

no

203 (65.5)

-

1.00^†

81 (26.1)

-

1^†

153 (49.4)

0.03

0.87

64 (20.6)

-

0.21

9 (2.9)

-

1^†

yes

11 (3.5)

4 (1.3)

8 (2.6)

1 (0.3)

0 (0)

Frailty

robustness

84 (27.1)

4.29

0.12

40 (12.9)

1.15

0.56

58 (18.7)

7.93

0.019

28 (9.0)

0.19

0.91

6 (1.9)

1.98

0.39^‡

pre-frailty

92 (29.7)

34 (11.0)

71 (22.9)

26 (8.4)

2 (0.6)

frailty

38 (12.3)

11 (3.5)

32 (10.3)

11 (3.5)

1 (0.3)

Depression

no

161 (51.9)

0.002

0.97

61 (19.7)

0.72

0.40

117 (37.7)

1.11

0.29

45 (14.5)

1.55

0.21

7 (2.3)

-

1^†

yes

53 (17.1)

24 (7.7)

44 (14.2)

20 (6.5)

2 (0.6)

Total

214 (69.0)

85 (27.4)

161 (51.9)

65 (21.0)

9 (2.9)