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- Title
The orodental status of a group of elderly in-patients: a preliminary assessment.
- Authors
McNally, Lisa; Gosney, Margot A.; Doherty, Una; Field, E. Anne; McNally, L; Gosney, M A; Doherty, U; Field, E A
- Abstract
<bold>Objective: </bold>To provide a preliminary assessment of the orodental status and dental treatment requirements of a group of elderly in-patients.<bold>Design: </bold>Cross-sectional.<bold>Setting: </bold>Acute Care of the Elderly and Stroke Rehabilitation units at teaching hospitals in Merseyside.<bold>Subject: </bold>150 patients aged 58 to 94 years, in which a history could be validated at interview.<bold>Intervention: </bold>Questionnaire administered by dentist and clinical examination.<bold>Main Outcome Measures: </bold>Registration with a dentist, prosthetic status and difficulties with dentures, denture hygiene and identification marking, dental treatment needs and evidence of mucosal pathology.<bold>Results: </bold>Only 27% of patients claimed registration with a dentist. Three quarters of the patients were edentulous and 66 patients wore full dentures; 18 had no prostheses. Difficulties were experienced by one quarter of patients with upper dentures, compared with a half of lower denture wearers. Of the dentures available for inspection, 61% had removable soft debris, 66% were left out at night and 75% were cleaned by the patient, whilst on the ward. No dentures had evidence of identification marking. Of the 39 partially dentate patients, 75% required interventive dental treatment. Denture stomatitis was diagnosed in 29% of patients and 19 had evidence of benign mucosal pathology.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>The orodental status of this group of elderly in-patients was poor, with a high proportion being edentulous. Few were registered with a dentist and denture hygiene was inadequate. Lack of identification marking is a matter of concern. Closer liaison between hospital staff responsible for elderly in-patients is required, to improve the orodental health and quality of life of this medically compromised group of patients.
- Subjects
MERSEYSIDE (England); ENGLAND; GERIATRIC dentistry; HOSPITAL care of older people; DENTAL hygiene; TEACHING hospitals
- Publication
Gerodontology, 1999, Vol 16, Issue 2, p81
- ISSN
0734-0664
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1741-2358.1999.00081.x