Exercise as an adjunct intervention for social anxiety disorder: a mini-review.

Frailty is a multifaceted geriatric syndrome fundamentally linked to multi-system physiological decline, posing a significant public health challenge for the aging population (). While traditional research has prioritized nutritional status and physical mobility, the emerging concept of “oral frailty” (OF) has gained traction as a critical determinant of healthy aging (). OF refers to age-related decline in oral function accompanied by psychological and physical deterioration (). It mainly includes reduced saliva secretion, tooth loss, swallowing dysfunction, poor oral hygiene, and chewing difficulties (). Studies have shown that older adults with oral frailty are more likely to develop physical frailty, sarcopenia, serious diseases requiring care, and even death compared with those without oral frailty (). Beyond physical impairments, OF restricts social engagement and erodes mental well-being (). For instance, its correlation with fall-related injuries can trigger a cycle of fear and social withdrawal, further diminishing independence (). Previous research has confirmed that oral health-related factors play an important role in the development of frailty in older adults (). Specifically, poor oral health practice, such as infrequent tooth brushing and low utilization of dental services, are significantly associated with increased risk of frailty (). An increased number of missing teeth and greater need for dentures have also been found to raise the risk of frailty in later life (). Self-reported oral pain and chewing difficulties are consistently associated with frailty status (). In addition, clinical evidence shows that poor oral conditions and the need for monitoring oral changes are significantly related to higher frailty risk, suggesting that improving daily oral health practice may help prevent frailty (). In the management of oral frailty in older adults, nurses play an important role because they have frequent contact with patients and are responsible for health assessment and daily care. Although oral function decline has been recognized as part of frailty, it has not been fully included in routine clinical assessment, and multidisciplinary cooperation is still limited (). At the same time, reviews have shown that oral health care is often neglected in hospitals and long-term care settings. Nurses may lack sufficient training and face difficulties in providing and monitoring oral care (). Therefore, it is necessary to develop systematic training programs and improve nurses' ability in identifying and managing oral frailty, which may provide evidence for future educational interventions.