Oral health status of institutionalized older adults receiving domiciliary dental care: A cross-sectional retrospective study.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the oral health of care-dependent institutionalized older adults receiving domiciliary dental care. Dental health records of institutionalized adults receiving regular domiciliary dental care were examined (observation period: 5 years). Relevant demographic and oral health information were extracted. Statistical analyses included descriptive and non-parametric tests (α=.05). Records of 398 nursing home residents (mean-age: 84.9±6.4 years) were included. Average time spent by the residents in the institution was 2.8±1.5 years. The mean number of teeth present and the overall DMF-T score was 14.7±9.1 and 27.4±6.2, respectively. The DMF-T score increased until the 3-year recall, with a significant increase in the number of decayed teeth (2-year: p=.013; 3-year: p=.010). An improvement in the residents' periodontal health was seen during the observation period but was not statistically significant. The findings of this cross-sectional study confirmed that regular domiciliary dental care provision to institutionalized older adults helps maintain gingival and periodontal health. However, the incidence of dental caries might still be a problem that needs to be addressed with effective measures that improve the daily oral care provision to these older adults.