The oral hygiene and denture status among residential home residents

Distribution of Australian dental practices in relation to residential aged care facilities: A geographic analysis

OBJECTIVES

Limited access to oral health services contributes to poor oral health in institutionalised older adults. The objective of this study was to map and analyse the distribution of residential age-care facilities (RACFs) in relation to dental practices across Australia.

METHODS

Age-care data were sourced from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. The data were categorised according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics remoteness index in each state and territory, defined by a geographic coordinate system. The structure of remoteness area data was integrated into RACF data using a geographic information system. Buffer analysis in QGIS was employed to calculate the buffer distance surrounding RACFs by identifying dental practices relative to a measuring distance.

RESULTS

In total, Australia had 2718 RACFs and 7379 dental practices (both private 95.5% and public 4.5%). In all States, more than a third of metropolitan RACFs were within accessible reach of a private practice (ranging from 37% of RACFs in NSW to 55% in WA). However, proximity to public clinics was low, ranging from only 4% (WA) to 9% (QLD). More than one-fifth of metropolitan RACFs in NSW, QLD, WA and ACT (ranging from 20% to 24%) were not within accessible proximity of either a public or private dental clinic/practice. While more than 70% of RACFs in regional and remote Australia are reasonably close to dental practices, areas with inadequate access exist, with the highest percentage recorded in WA (6%).

CONCLUSION

Ensuring an equitable distribution of dental practices relative to RACFs is crucial in bridging the service access gap in underserved areas.

Behaviors, hygiene habits, and sources of care among removable complete and partial dentures wearers: A multicenter cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

There is a lack of data regarding the hygiene practices and sources of care among individuals in Yemen who wear removable complete and partial dentures. The purpose of this study was to explore the behaviors, hygiene habits, and sources of care information among patients who utilize complete and partial dentures in Yemen.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional research design was utilized, and a sample of 217 consecutive participants who wore removable complete and/or partial dentures were enlisted. A questionnaire was employed to collect data on demographic information, educational attainment, denture habits, denture cleaning practices, and encountered difficulties. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software, and significance was determined using chi-square tests, with a significance level of .05.

RESULTS

The data analysis revealed that a majority of the participants were male (72.4%) and had an average age of 65.14 years. Fifty-three percent of the participants wore partial dentures, while 34.6% wore complete dentures. Only 6.5% of the participants wore both complete and partial dentures, and 6% wore overdentures. The majority of participants (88.47%) had dentures made of acrylic material. Additionally, 43% of participants wore dentures while sleeping, and 61.3% stored their dentures in dry places without a water-filled container when not in use. The most commonly reported cleaning methods were water only (24.4%), followed by water and soap (19.4%). Furthermore, a large portion of the participants (59.4%) received denture care information from dentists. However, the majority (59%) did not visit a dentist for regular denture maintenance or any denture-related issues. The data analysis did not reveal any significant association between age or education level and denture cleaning methods.

CONCLUSION

This cross-sectional survey provides insight into the hygiene knowledge and practices of removable denture wearers in Yemen. The findings underscore the necessity for enhanced oral hygiene education and awareness within this population. The study offers valuable insights for oral health professionals to design targeted interventions and educational initiatives aimed at promoting proper denture care and maintenance. These efforts have the potential to enhance the oral health and overall well-being of removable denture wearers.

Feasibility of microencapsulated phytochemical as disinfectant for inhibition of Candida albicans proliferation on denture base produced by digital light processing

BACKGROUNDS

A proper disinfection of denture is vital to prevent a fungal infection. A study on the feasibility of microencapsulated phytochemical as complementary disinfectant and its interaction with effervescent tablet immersion on denture base resin is lacking.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of phytochemical-filled microcapsules as disinfectant for the inhibition of Candida albicans (C. albicans) attachment on the denture base produced by digital light processing (DLP).

METHODS

54 denture base specimens uniformly mixed with or without 5wt% phytochemical-filled microcapsules were prepared using DLP. Fungal cells were inoculated onto the surfaces of the specimens, which were divided into three different disinfection treatment groups (n = 9): 1) none, 2) sterile tap water immersion for 15 min, and 3) effervescent tablet immersion for 15 min. After each treatment, the biofilm on denture surface was stained with a crystal violet solution to measure the absorbance. The number of fungal colonies was counted as colony-forming units (CFU) per mL. Morphological changes were examined by microscopy. An aligned rank transform analysis of variance was performed to analyze the interaction of presence of microcapsule and disinfection condition, with statistical significance set at P < 0.05.

RESULTS

Both for the absorbance and CFU, there was no significant interaction between the presence of microcapsules and disinfection conditions (P = 0.543 and P = 0.077, respectively). The presence of microcapsules was statistically significant (both P < 0.001), while the effect of disinfection condition was not significant (P = 0.165 and P = 0.189, respectively). Morphological changes in fungi were detected in the groups containing microcapsules, whereas undamaged hyphal structures were found in those without microcapsules, irrespective of disinfection treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of phytochemical-filled microcapsules significantly reduced the adhesion of C. albicans and inhibited its proliferation on denture surfaces, regardless of disinfection conditions.

Development of the European Portuguese version of the oral health assessment tool: Content validity and reliability study in an elderly population

AIMS

Poor oral health is a risk factor for aspiration pneumonia (AP), especially in elderly patients at risk of oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD). In Portugal, available tools to screen oral problems in nursing homes are scarce. The oral health assessment tool (OHAT) is a screening tool that assesses elderly residents' oral health. This study aims to translate and validate the tool for the European Portuguese (EP) context.

METHODS

The original version was translated into EP throughout a forward-backward translation process. An instruction manual was created. Content of both documents were assessed by a panel of eight experts. The content validity Index was calculated. A reliability study was conducted in three nursing homes by two speech and language therapists in two different moments, separated by 48 h.

RESULTS

A sample of 30 institutionalized elderly with a mean age of 77 years was analyzed. The EP version and its instruction manual presented a content validity Index greater than 0.88 in all its items. Total scores showed excellent inter-rater and good intra-rater results.

CONCLUSION

The EP version showed to be a reliable and valid tool for the screening of oral health conditions of institutionalized older adults at risk of OD.

Use of Oral Cleaning Devices and Their Perceived Benefits among Malaysians in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru: An Exploratory Structured Approach

Background and Objectives

Various devices have been used to maintain oral hygiene. These include toothbrush and toothpaste, mouthwash, dental floss, miswak, and toothpick. This study attempts to investigate the use of various oral cleaning devices and their perceived benefits among Malaysians.

Methods

A quantitative cross-sectional study conducted in two different cities of Malaysia. A convenience sampling approach was adopted. A total of 787 participants agreed to participate in the current research. A validated questionnaire translated into national language was used for data collection.

Statistical Analysis Used

Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.

Results

About 302 respondents were in the age range of 18 - 25 years old (38.4%). There were marginally more females (55.7%) than males (44.3%). Although 99.9% of the participants used a toothbrush, a significant majority (n = 590, 75%) used more than a single device to maintain their oral hygiene. Only 311 respondents knew that toothpicks were inappropriate to use to remove food between teeth and gums, while a majority (n = 592, 75.2%) did not realize that some mouthwashes can stain the teeth. Less than half (42.1%) knew that improper use of miswak might harm the teeth.

Conclusions

Although their oral hygiene behaviors are relatively at a higher level, their perceived oral health benefits did not compare well.

Dental and periodontal problems of elderly people in Vietnamese nursing homes

OBJECTIVE

To determine the oral health status and treatment needs of elderly residents in Vietnamese nursing homes.

METHODS

This study was conducted among 360 men and 431 women with a mean age of 72.9 ± 9.1 years in three nursing homes in Ho Chi Minh City. Demographic information on education, duration of stay, chronic diseases, tooth brushing and tobacco use were obtained from medical records and a questionnaire. The oral health of participants was clinically assessed by a dental examiner using WHO criteria. Oral health status included estimates of coronal and root caries, periodontal disease, denture status and dental treatment needs.

RESULTS

Nearly all (90.1%) of the participants had natural teeth. The mean numbers of teeth with coronal or root decay were 5.8 ± 4.0 and 6.0 ± 4.2, respectively, and almost everyone required at least one restoration for coronal or root caries. Most of the participants with natural teeth had bleeding gingiva on probing, 26.2% had deep periodontal pockets, 96.5% needed oral hygiene improvement plus scaling and 20.3% required complex periodontal treatment. None of the edentulous participants had dentures, and 86.6% required new or repaired dentures.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of untreated oral diseases is very high and the need for dental care extensive among the residents of government-administered long-term care facilities in Ho Chi Minh City.

Dental caries in Victorian nursing homes

BACKGROUND

The poor oral health of nursing home residents is the cause of substantial morbidity and has major implications relating to health care policy. The aim of this study was to measure dental caries experience in Australians living in nursing homes, and investigate associations with resident characteristics.

METHODS

Clinical dental examinations were conducted on 243 residents from 19 nursing homes in Melbourne. Resident characteristics were obtained from nursing home records and interviews with residents, family and nursing home staff. Two dental examiners assessed coronal and root dental caries using standard ICDAS-II criteria.

RESULTS

Residents were elderly, medically compromised and functionally impaired. Most required assistance with oral hygiene and professional dental care was rarely utilized. Residents had high rates of coronal and root caries, with a mean 2.8 teeth with untreated coronal caries and 5.0 root surfaces with untreated root caries. Functional impairment and irregular professional dental care were associated with higher rates of untreated tooth decay. There were no significant associations with medical conditions or the number of medications taken.

CONCLUSIONS

Nursing home residents have high levels of untreated coronal and root caries, particularly those with high needs due to functional impairment but poor access to professional services.

The association between socioeconomic status, oral hygiene practice, denture stomatitis and oral status in elderly people living different residential homes

Oral hygiene practices and denture status of elderly people living in residential homes are different depending on the type of residential homes. In this study the elderly people living in three different residential homes were investigated for this purpose. A total of 269 subjects, 119 males (mean age 73.9±8.8) and 150 females (mean age 78.5±7.2) were involved in this study. All subjects were interviewed and clinically examined. Age, sex, educational status, financial status, general health, dental visiting, overnight denture wearing, brushing habits and frequency were recorded using a structured questionnaire. The prevalence of edentulism, the presence and type of dental prostheses, denture cleanliness and the presence of denture stomatitis were evaluated. Forty-one percent of subjects were non-educated. Fifty-one percent of subjects had low income. The majority of people (66.6%) were edentulous. Among the edentulous subjects 32% had full denture and 16% had no denture. Forty three percent of the subjects reported cleaning their dentures with water and 40% with a toothbrush only. Denture hygiene was good for 14% of the subjects. Denture stomatitis was observed in 44% of the subjects wearing dentures. There was statistically significant difference between residential homes and educational status, level of income, dental visiting, denture status, brushing methods and brushing frequency (p<0.001). A positive relationship was observed between poor denture hygiene habits and the presence of denture-related stomatitis. The most important need within the residents of the residential home was the enhancement of oral care social insurance.

Effect of a denture cleanser on the concentration of volatile sulphur compounds and denture biofilm in institutionalised elderly

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effectiveness of a denture cleanser in reducing the concentration of volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) and its antimicrobial action.

BACKGROUND

Micro-organisms from the denture biofilm can cause local and systemic disease and halitosis. Denture cleansers are important adjuncts in oral care, but there is limited investigation on their effect in malodour compounds.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Nineteen institutionalised elderly who wore at least an upper denture were selected; their VSC concentrations were measured and the denture biofilm was collected. In phase 1, the subjects wore their old denture and data were collected before (B0) and after 7(A1), 14(A2), 28(A3) days of continuous daily use of the denture cleanser. In phase 2, new dentures were inserted and measurements were made at 30(A1.1), 60(A2.2), 90(A3.3) days of treatment.

RESULTS

The VSC concentration increased from B0 to A1 (p<0.05), but no differences were found for the others intervals of times. Total micro-organism data did not show a statistical difference between times in Phase I, but in Phase II, there was a statistical difference (p<0.05) and a progressive re-colonisation was observed.

CONCLUSION

Within the limits of this study, it was concluded that the denture cleanser had no antimicrobial effect and VSC levels were not reduced.