1.Oral health status and its association with eating ability among older adults
Turbat G ; Byambasoyol N ; Odgerel Ch ; Sapaar B ; Urjinlkham J
Mongolian Journal of Health Sciences 2026;96(6):38-43
Background:
Life expectancy in Mongolia has increased by 8.3 years over the past three decades (1995–2025), reaching 72.1 years in 2025 (68.1 years for men and 76.2 years for women; National Statistics Office of Mongolia, 2025). Concurrently, the population aged ≥60 years has increased 2.65-fold since 1990, exceeding 338,000 in 2025. Particularly marked increases have been observed among those aged 60–64 years (241%) and 65–69 years (195%), reflecting the rapid pace of population ageing. These demographic changes are expected to increase the demand for age-appropriate oral healthcare, prosthodontic treatment, and oral rehabilitation services.
Aim:
To assess oral health status among older adults and examine its association with eating ability.
Materials and Methods:
An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 301 adults aged ≥50 years residing in the Chingeltei, Bayangol, Sukhbaatar, and Khan-Uul districts of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Oral health status was assessed through clinical examination, including tooth loss and denture use, and using the eight-item Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT). Based on the OHAT assessment, oral health status was categorized as good or poor. Eating ability was assessed using a standardized questionnaire covering four domains: (1) difficulty biting and chewing hard-textured foods, such as whole pieces of meat and apples, using an ordinal scale; (2) ability to comfortably eat desired foods; (3) restriction of the type or amount of food consumed due to oral health problems; and (4) oral sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet foods. Associations between categorical variables were assessed using Pearson’s chi-square (χ) test, with statistical significance set at p<0.05. Demographic variables, including age group and sex, were also considered in the analyses.
Result:
The mean age of the participants was 69.0±7.8 years; 74% were women and 26% were men. Overall, 98.6% had experienced tooth loss, and 23.6% were completely edentulous. The use of removable dentures increased significantly with age (χ=8.83, p=0.032) and was more common among women than men (65.9% vs. 45.9%; χ=8.45, p=0.004). According to the OHAT assessment, 21.0% of participants had poor oral health status, which was significantly associated with educational level (χ=27.69, p<0.001). Among participants with available data on the ability to comfortably eat desired foods (n=240), 27.1% reported being completely unable to do so. This outcome did not differ significantly by age group (p=0.823) or sex (p=0.405). Regarding hard-textured foods such as whole pieces of meat and apples, 50.6% reported being completely unable to bite or chew them, whereas only 11.3% reported being able to consume them without difficulty. The proportion unable to consume hard foods was substantially higher among participants with dietary restrictions than among those without restrictions (82% vs. 22%; χ=74.1, p<0.001). Oral sensitivity was significantly associated with dietary restriction (χ=11.5, p=0.022) and self-rated oral health status (χ=7.7, p=0.021), but was not significantly associated with specific food types, such as meat or citrus fruits (p>0.05). These findings suggest that oral sensitivity is associated with overall dietary restriction rather than selective avoidance of particular foods.
Conclusion
Oral health problems among older adults are associated with impaired biting and chewing ability and may contribute to dietary restriction. Therefore, nutritional assessment in older adults should extend beyond clinical oral examination to include functional eating ability. A multidisciplinary approach involving dental professionals, geriatricians, and dietitians may provide a more comprehensive assessment of oral health–related nutritional risks in this population.
2.Job satisfaction among dentists in Mongolia and its associated factors
Battsetseg S ; Byambasoyol N ; Khongorzul Ts ; Enkhjargal M ; Urjinlham J
Mongolian Journal of Health Sciences 2026;95(5):263-266
Background:
Occupational stress among dentists has both direct and indirect effects on individual mental health and work productivity. Furthermore, it is a critical factor influencing patient satisfaction, quality of care, human resource stability, and the sustainable development of healthcare organizations.
Aim:
To assess job satisfaction among dentists and to identify selected factors associated with it.
Materials and Methods:
This analytical cross-sectional study included a total of 98 dentists providing oral healthcare services in both public and private dental clinics in Mongolia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered via Google Forms. The questionnaire consisted of 30 items across three sections, covering general information, working conditions, and job satisfaction. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 31.0.
Results:
The overall job satisfaction score among participating dentists was above average (3.68±0.77). The findings revealed that workplace comfort (r=0.570), colleague relationships (r=0.560), salary (r=0.501), managerial professional competence (r=0.484), and opportunities for professional advancement (r=0.482) were significantly and positively correlated with job satisfaction (p<0.001). Workload did not show a statistically significant association with job satisfaction (p>0.05). Notably, the level of satisfaction regarding institutional support for professional skill development was relatively low (1.87±0.86).
Conclusions
1. Factors such as workplace comfort, colleague relationships, salary, managerial competence and opportunities for professional advancement showed a statistically significant positive correlation with job satisfaction among dentists (p < 0.001). 2. The level of job satisfaction among dentists was assessed as above average (3.68±0.77).
Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail