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Oral hygiene and oral symptoms among the elderly in long‐term care
Author(s) -
Henriksen Birgitte Moesgaard,
Ambjørnsen Eirik,
Laake Knut,
Axéll Tony E.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
special care in dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.328
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1754-4505
pISSN - 0275-1879
DOI - 10.1111/j.1754-4505.2004.tb01702.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dentures , oral hygiene , dentistry , dry mouth , oral health , dental care , long term care , hygiene , saliva , nursing , pathology
Dental teams examined 1,910 elderly adults living in long‐term care settings (1,358 institutionalized, 552 home‐bound) from all 19 counties in Norway to document oral hygiene, oral symptoms and ability to receive dental treatment. The Mucosal‐Plaque Score (MPS) was used to assess oral status. The MPS was significantly better in women than in men, in individuals with dentures than in those with any remaining teeth, and in people who were homebound rather than those who lived in institutions. The MPS did not differ between age groups or geographic regions. According to the Treatment Ability Index, nearly a quarter of the sample was able to receive comprehensive dental care. Reports of “any oral symptom” and “eating/chewing problems” decreased with age and were most prevalent for individuals who had dentures. The MPS had only slight impact on oral symptoms, chewing ability and dry mouth ( p > 0.05). Dry mouth was found in 16.9% and was most prevalent in individuals with dentures.