Journal of Aging Science

Abstract

Aging and Oral Care: An Observational Study of Characteristics and Prevalence of Oral Diseases in an Italian Cohort

Dorina Lauritano*, Giulia Moreo, Francesco Carinci, Raffaele Borgia, Alberta Lucchese, Maria Contaldo, Fedora Della Vella, Patrizia Bernardelli and Guido Moreo

Background: Poor oral health is a common condition in patients suffering from dementia. Several aspects of thissystemic pathology contribute to causing oral problems: cognitive impairment, behavior disorders, communicationand, motor skills deterioration, low levels of cooperation and medical-nursing staff incompetency in the dental field.Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the prevalence and the characteristics of oral pathology in ademented elderly population, as well as to check the association between the different degree of dementia and theoral health condition of each patientMaterials and methods: In this observational study (with cross-sectional design) two groups of elderly patientssuffering from dementia, living in two different residential care institutions were recruited. The diagnosis of dementiaof each included patient was performed using the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale. In order to evaluate the oralhealth condition of the included subjects, each patient underwent a physical examination of the oral cavity, duringwhich different clinical parameters were analyzed (number of remaining teeth, oral mucosa, periodontal tissues, bonecrests). To each parameter, a score was assigned. Spearman’s Rho test was used.Results: Regarding the prevalence of oral pathology in elderly suffering from dementia, it emerged that 20.58% ofthe included patients had mucosal lesions and/or new mucosal formations (in most cases undiagnosed and thereforeuntreated). The prevalence of periodontal disease was equal to 82.35% and a marked clinically detectablereabsorption of bone crests was found in almost all patients (88.23%). 24.13% of patients, who underwent the oralexamination, had totally edentulous maxillae and/or with retained roots, without prosthetic rehabilitations. Thecorrelation index r showed the presence of a linear correlation (inverse relationship) between the degree of dementiaand the state of health of the oral cavity of each patientConclusion: Several factors contribute to poor oral health in the elderly suffering from dementia: cognitivefunctions deterioration, behavioral disorders and inadequate medical-staff nursing training on oral hygiene. Thisstudy also demonstrated that the lower the dementia degree is, the lower tends to be the oral health status. In orderto guarantee a complete assistance to these patients, residential care institutions should include in their healthcareprogram specific dental protocols

Published Date: 2021-03-23; Received Date: 2021-02-27