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Abstract
Oral health care plays a part in the integral recovery of hospitalized older people. Based on that, this study characterized the oral health care of hospitalized older people in a Brazilian public hospital. Through application of questionnaires, this cross-sectional study assessed oral health care practice by hospital nursing staff (n=31), companions (n=134) and hospitalized older people (n=200) of a public hospital in Southern Brazil. Clinical examination was conducted by two previously calibrated examiners to screen the oral health condition of the patients, considering the presence of cavitated lesions, residual roots, visible biofilm, calculus, gum inflammation and bleeding. Data were analysed descriptively. Nursing staff limits oral health assessment to surgical procedures; 55% of nurses and 58% of companions do not supervise the oral hygiene, but 81% and 96%, respectively, claim to perform oral hygiene of elderly with difficulties to do so. The elderly (51%) claimed to brush their teeth 3x/day or more; yet, their oral health was characterized by the presence of visible biofilm, calculus, gingival inflammation and bleeding and decayed teeth. Oral health advisory or assessment is not part of the hospital routine. Companions and hospital nursing staff are willing to receive oral health care information. Poor oral health was observed in hospitalized older people, which would probably be enhanced by an interdisciplinary educational approach towards oral health care to older patients.
Highlights
This study addressed the oral hygiene habits and knowledge of hospitalized elderly, their companion and hospital nursing staff of a medium complexity public hospital in the context of the Brazilian Unified Health System before the COVID19 pandemics
The study results revealed that 20% of the hospitalized elderly presented decayed teeth and 15% presented residual roots (Figure 1)
Oral health care of hospitalized elderly is limited by knowledge and attitudes from nurses, companions/caregivers and the elderly themselves
Summary
Populational ageing is a recognizable phenomenon that has involved both, developed and developing countries (Khan, 2018). Estimations are that the proportion of elderly people will increase from 2010 to 2050 in rates varying from 8.2 to. 37.8%, depending on the country (Ezehv et al, 2012), and this may have a significant effect on economics and health care (Khan, 2018). Ageing increases the risk of chronic-degenerative diseases, resulting in frailty. Frail elders are prone to decline of physical status and activities and increased vulnerability to adverse health events (Tanaka et al, 2018). Hospitalization increases dramatically with age due to chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, pulmonary disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis among others
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