Geriatric dentistry - meet the need

Complications Arising from Dental Trauma Incurred from Falls Involving Geriatric Patients: A Case Report

Elderly patients have a high incidence of falls that result in facial injuries. Many cases present with dental crown fractures and soft-tissue lacerations. The initial diagnosis is especially important in this type of dental trauma, since an initial error can result in the failure to establish the correct treatment from the very beginning, worsening the prognosis, which, in the worst case, can compromise the teeth affected by the trauma. Case report: We present the case of a patient, a 79-year-old woman, who suffered an accidental fall. The patient was examined by a dentist in the emergency room. She was diagnosed with a simple crown fracture of the right upper central incisor and right upper lateral incisor without any pulpal involvement and with laceration of the lower lip. Months later, she had an episode of inflammation in the lower lip, and she developed edema and pain. An X-ray of the lower lip revealed a radiopaque mass compatible with a fragment of dental tissue due to the inclusion of remnants of the dental tissue resulting from the previous accident fall. Conclusions: The population of geriatric patients is steadily increasing in our society, and a higher frequency of falls has been observed in this age group, affecting the maxillofacial region, with consequent dental trauma on many occasions. Therefore, as professionals, we must pay special attention to the prevention and treatment of this problem, insisting on the importance of routine investigation in the emergency visit for dental trauma, which includes a meticulous examination of the soft tissues accompanied by a radiographic examination, when the inclusion of foreign bodies is suspected.

Oral Health Disparities and Inequities in Older Adults

The number of individuals 65 and older living in the United States is increasing substantially and becoming more racially and ethnically diverse. This shift will affect the demographics of the patient population seeking dental care. It will also impact the future treatment needs of older adults. In older adults, similar to the general adult population, oral health disparities continue to exist related to race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic level. Dental practitioners must understand these changes in order to meet the challenges of providing oral health care to the increasing numbers of diverse, medically compromised, and cognitively impaired older adults.

Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Contribution of Proxabrushes with Regular Toothbrushes and Only Regular Toothbrushes to the Oral Health of Thai Elderly

Objective

The aim of this two-group experimental study was to explore the effects of proxabrush on Thai elderly oral health. Design and Setting. Multicenter randomized controlled trial, parallel grouped, open label, blocked randomization was used at each province to allocate treatment. The study was conducted at public hospitals in 16 provinces in Thailand between November 2019 and January 2020.

Methods

Participants in the test group used proxabrushes and regular toothbrushes, and participants in the control group used only regular toothbrushes for 6 weeks. Plaque accumulation, gingival status, and oral healthcare data were collected at baseline and at 6-week follow-up. Clinical oral health examiner was blinded to group assignment. Randomization was computer-generated, with allocation concealment by opaque sequentially number sealed envelopes. Data analysis compared plaque and gingival indices between the test and control groups.

Results

A total of 510 elderly with at least 20 natural teeth and interdental spaces were randomized (test n = 255; control n = 255), and 35 were excluded from analysis because of early drop out leaving 239 in the test group and 236 in the control group. A sample of 475 aged between 60 and 91 years participated in the study; 158 (33.3%) were males and 317 (66.7%) were females. The results revealed that, compared to baseline knowledge, attitude and practice were improved at follow-up for both the test and control groups (p < 0.05). At follow-up, the independent-samples t-test compares the test group plaque index mean of 0.49 (SD 0.44) to the control group mean of 0.60 (SD 0.56); a mean difference of 0.11 (95% CI 0.02 to 0.20) obtained demonstrated statistical significance (p = 0.014), and comparing the test group gingival index mean of 0.52 (SD 0.50) to the control group mean of 0.65 (SD 0.60), a mean difference of 0.13 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.23) obtained demonstrated statistical significance (p = 012). At follow-up, the test group had lower plaque accumulation and better gingival status than the control group. Gender, medical problems, educational level, occupation, and age were not different between the test and control groups. A combination of daily proxabrush and regular toothbrush use yielded significant benefits over regular tooth-brushing alone.

Conclusions

In conclusion, proxabrush has been found to be an effective interdental cleaning aid among Thai elderly. This trial is registered with TCTR20220127004.

Potential educational and workforce strategies to meet the oral health challenges of an increasingly older population: a qualitative study

INTRODUCTION

The demographic shift in the age profile of the UK is well established. Older people have more complex requirements to maintain their oral health.

OBJECTIVES

This research explored Gerodontology with influential and recognised UK experts in Dental Public Health, Dental Education and Gerodontology. Three main topics were explored: the dental challenges associated with the ageing population, the role of dental care professionals (DCPs) and the training of undergraduate dental professionals.

METHODS

Quantitative data from the literature were used to develop a topic guide for semi-structured interviews with a purposeful sample of nine participants. Initial analysis of the qualitative data was undertaken using NVivo V12 software and themes were identified. Final themes and subthemes were confirmed after a series of remote round table discussions.

RESULTS

Four themes and 14 subthemes were identified. These included disagreements and agreements, the challenges of providing dental care to the older adult population, and the delivery of dental care by the dental team and finally education. All participants had significant concerns about the oral and dental challenges of the older population.

CONCLUSIONS

The themes that emerged were complex and overlapping. Better utilisation of all members of the dental workforce was reported to be an essential approach, as was reorientation of existing care models with a focus on prevention. Regarding undergraduate education, the consensus was that the training was not adequate for both current and future needs.

Remote Management of Prosthodontic Emergencies in the Geriatric Population During the Pandemic Outbreak of COVID-19

The global pandemic outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has put the world in a panic situation. It has been evident that the geriatric population is more susceptible to acquire this infection. Thus, due to this ongoing crisis, geriatric individuals cannot visit a dental operatory, and there is the possibility of their dental needs and emergencies to remain unattended. Partial or complete edentulism is very prevalent among the geriatric population, and prosthodontic management of these patients is essential for their well-being. However, the prosthesis can lead to various emergencies of the oral and its supporting structures. There are currently no available recommendations to address these prosthodontic emergencies in geriatric individuals during this pandemic period. Hence, the aims of this minireview were to discuss the common prosthodontic emergencies in the geriatric population and provide recommendations to manage these issues during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

Oral Health Disparities and Inequities in Older Adults

The number of individuals 65 and older living in the United States is increasing substantially and becoming more racially and ethnically diverse. This shift will affect the demographics of the patient population seeking dental care. It will also impact the future treatment needs of older adults. In older adults, similar to the general adult population, oral health disparities continue to exist related to race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic level. Dental practitioners must understand these changes in order to meet the challenges of providing oral health care to the increasing numbers of diverse, medically compromised, and cognitively impaired older adults.

Undergraduate students' evaluation and reflections on a gerodontology programme

INTRODUCTION

Many societies have observed a steady increase of many older adults living longer due to advancements in health and standard of living. The dental team requires specialised training in gerodontology to better prepare for the future needs of the elderly patients. It is the aim of this study to report the undergraduate students' activities and perspectives on their work experience in a geriatric residence.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An anonymous online questionnaire on the theoretical and practical aspects of training was sent to students in dentistry and dental hygiene (DH) undergraduate courses. Students were also invited to discuss their experiences. Data of clinical treatment performed by the students were collected. The number of clinical hours of student exposure to patients was measured.

RESULTS

Completion of the questionnaire was high (90%). Both DH and dentistry students have in excess of 100 hours/y of clinical practice. Overall students rate their experience as a positive one that enriches patients' well-being. However they identify barriers to oral health and experience challenges related to their clinical work and level of competence (Kruskal-Wallis Test P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

study participants were strongly motivated towards the management of frail older adults and cognisant of the barriers and constraints of achieving a reasonable level of oral health. Gerodontology programmes should be adaptable in order to create the appropriate environment and address socio-emotional challenges experienced by students.

Curriculum content in geriatric dentistry in USA dental schools

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to re-examine the teaching of geriatric dentistry in the USA dental schools, to identify curriculum content and compare the findings to previous reports.

METHODS

All dental schools in the United States were contacted via email with a questionnaire to assess the teaching of geriatric dentistry. Non-responding schools were sent a minimum of three reminder emails to complete the survey. A statistical analysis was performed. Descriptive statistics were conducted to profile the variables of interest. Bivariate analysis was performed to explore if any of the variables were related using Fisher's exact test, non-parametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test and the Kruskal-Wallis test.

RESULTS

Fifty-six of the 67 dental schools completed the questionnaire. Geriatric dentistry was taught in all dental schools; for 92.8%, the course was compulsory. We found that 62.5% were teaching it as an independent course, 25% as an organised series of lectures and 8.9% as occasional lectures in parts of other courses. Clinically, 84.2% have some form of compulsory education in geriatric dentistry. Public schools were marginally associated with an increased interest in expanding the geriatric dentistry curriculum (P = .078). No differences were found between these variables and school location.

CONCLUSIONS

Geriatric dentistry is now required in 92.8% of dental schools. The teaching of traditional topics has not changed much; however, the number of gerontological topics has increased. Clinical teaching needs to be expanded, as in only 57.1% of schools was it a requirement. The ageing imperative will require research to determine the impact of teaching on services to the geriatric community.

Predoctoral Teaching of Geriatric Dentistry in U.S. Dental Schools

The aim of this study was to assess the current teaching of geriatric dentistry in U.S. dental schools and compare the findings to previous reports. Academic deans at all 67 U.S. dental schools were contacted in November 2015 via email, asking them to complete a questionnaire about the teaching of geriatric dentistry or gerodontology at their institution. Questionnaires were received from 56 of the 67 schools (84% response rate). The results showed that geriatric dentistry was taught in all responding schools; for 92.8% of the respondents, the instruction was compulsory. Among the responding schools, 62.5% were teaching it as an independent course, 25% as an organized series of lectures, and 8.9% as occasional lectures in parts of other courses. In addition, 57.1% had some form of compulsory clinical education in geriatric dentistry. Public schools, as opposed to private schools, were marginally associated with an increased interest in expanding geriatric dentistry teaching (p=0.078). No differences were found between any teaching variables and school location. This study found that the form of education in geriatric dentistry in U.S. dental schools differed in many ways, but the teaching of geriatric dentistry had increased among all respondents and had been increasing for over 30 years. Future research is needed to determine the impact of this teaching on services to the geriatric community.

Association between socioeconomic and health factors and edentulism in people aged 65 and older – a population-based survey

Aims: To study edentulism and use of dental services in a population-based sample of people aged 65 years and older from northern Sweden and western Finland. Methods: In 2010, people aged 65, 70, 75 and 80 years who were living in one of 32 municipalities in northern Sweden and western Finland were invited to answer a questionnaire as part of the Gerontological Regional Database (GERDA) study ( n = 6099). The questionnaire contained items related to socioeconomic status, general health and edentulism. Results: The prevalence of edentulism was 34.9% in Finland, compared with 20.6% in Sweden ( p < 0.001), 31.9% in rural areas, compared with 20.9% in urban areas ( p < 0.001), and 25% overall. The prevalence of edentulism rose from 17.8% in 65-year-olds, 23.8% in 70-year-olds, 33.5% in 75-year-olds and 37.3% in 80-year-olds ( p < 0.001), and was 23.8% in women, compared with 27% in men ( p < 0.001). In multivariate models, edentulism was associated with lower educational level (odds ratio (OR) 2.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.31–3.58), low income level (OR 1.7, CI 1.09–1.47), residence in a rural area (OR 1.43, CI 1.23–1.66), male sex (OR 1.30, CI 1.12–1.52), dependence in instrumental activities of daily living (OR 1.48, CI 1.25–1.74), social isolation (OR 1.52, CI 1.17–1.98) and poor self-experienced health (OR 1.38, CI 1.17–1.62). Conclusions: One-quarter of the total sample was edentulous, with a higher prevalence of edentulism in Finland than in Sweden and in rural than in urban areas. Edentulism was associated with socioeconomic, psychological and health-related factors. These findings could be used to inform preventive measures and identify people aged 65 years and older who are in need of oral care.

Role of information and communication technology in promoting oral health at residential aged care facilities

Information and communication technology (ICT) can provide knowledge and clinical support to those working in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). This paper aims to: (1) review literature on ICT targeted at residents, staff and external providers in RACFs including general practitioners, dental and allied health professionals on improving residents’ oral health; (2) identify barriers and enablers to using ICT in promoting oral health at RACFs; and (3) investigate evidence of effectiveness of these approaches in promoting oral health. Findings from this narrative literature review indicate that ICT is not widely used in RACFs, with barriers to usage identified as limited training for staff, difficulties accessing the Internet, limited computer literacy particularly in older staff, cost and competing work demands. Residents also faced barriers including impaired cognitive and psychosocial functioning, limited computer literacy and Internet use. Findings suggest that more education and training in ICT to upskill staff and residents is needed to effectively promote oral health through this medium.

Use of PowerPoint presentation as a teaching tool for undergraduate students in the subject of gerodontology

AIM

Though different teaching learning media have been employed in the instruction of geriatric dentistry, their efficacy has not been adequately evaluated. This study was conducted with the aim to determine the efficacy of a PowerPoint presentation in teaching gerodontology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a prospective follow-up study using a pre- and post-intervention assessment. A pilot study was conducted on the final year students to check the feasibility of the study. A convenience sampling procedure was used. All interns (n = 80) of the Modern Dental College and Research Centre, Indore, India were invited to participate. Interns completed a 24-item questionnaire documenting their current knowledge on gerodontology. One week after a 30 min PowerPoint presentation on gerodontology, the same interns completed the same questionnaire again, providing an indication of the efficacy of the learning tool. Paired t-test and McNemar test were employed for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

A statistically significant difference was observed in pre- and post-intervention scores (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicated that PowerPoint presentation can be used as an effective tool for improving the knowledge regarding gerodontology.

Oral care needs, barriers and challenges among elderly in India

Objective:

This paper presents an approach to the assessment of oral health needs of elderly and barriers to receive oral care in the life course.

Background:

The dental needs of the elderly are changing and growing day by day. The management of older patients requires not only an understanding of the medical and dental aspects of ageing but also provide them good oral health service. In the life course of elderly there are many hurdles to receive proper oral care. The use of an assessment of oral health need will be essential in the development of care pathways to the elderly.

Methods:

The proportion of older people is growing faster than that of any other age group. There is no sound database regarding the oral disease burden and treatment needs of the elderly in India. Physical and biological barriers with age can also affect oral health care either directly or indirectly.

Conclusion:

Oral care guidelines designed to assist elderly should consider not only prevention and treatment modalities but also the means of implementing such therapies in varying settings and utilizing the whole dental team.

India's baby boomers: In driving need for dental care

The present paper aims to review the literature on increasing health care challenges and needs of a growing Indian geriatric population. It also focuses on the need to overcome the shortfalls in its current oral health status in elderly. This review is based on a PubMed database search engine published in the period from 1990 to 2010 in various dental journals. Different strategies are designed to provide better facilities and easy access of these facilities not only to elderly living in the city but to the one's in rural areas. It is emphasized that geriatric dentistry should be included in the educational systems to help resolve problems of oral health care for the elderly in India.

Dental student perception and assessment of their clinical knowledge in educating patients about preventive dentistry

In today's dental school curricula, an increasing amount of time is dedicated to technological advances, and preventive dentistry topics may not be adequately addressed. Freshman (D1) students participated in a new Introduction to Preventive Dentistry course, which consisted of didactic lectures, active learning breakout sessions and case-based studies. The goal of this study was to determine if D1 dental students completing the course had a better knowledge and comfort level with basic preventive dentistry concepts and caries risk assessment than the upcoming graduating senior dental students. Following the completion of the course, D1 students were administered a survey that assessed their comfort level describing preventive dentistry topics to patients. This was immediately followed by an unannounced examination over the same topics. Senior (D4) students, who had not taken a formal course, reported statistically significant higher comfort levels than D1 students. However, the D4s scored significantly lower in all of the examination areas than the D1 students. Higher scores in D1s may have been due to recent exposure to the course material. However, the basic nature of the content-specific questions should be easily answered by novice practitioners educating their patients on oral disease prevention. As the current data shows lower content-specific scores of basic preventive dentistry knowledge amongst graduating D4 students, this may indicate a need for more guidance and education of students during the patient care. This study showed that implementation of a formalised course for D1 students can successfully ameliorate deficiencies in knowledge of preventive dentistry topics.

Growing Old is Mandatory But Growing Up is Optional: An Explanation to Geriatrics

Growing old is an inevitable process and aging graciously requires a healthy body where oral cavity occupies an important place. Geriatric dentistry is a specialized multidisciplinary branch of general dentistry designed to provide dental services to elderly patients. The rise in life expectancy has attributed to the substantial reduction in mortality which brought about by improved health care facilities, sanitation, environmental and public health reforms coupled with better hygiene and living conditions. The goal of geriatric treatment is to achieve optimal oral health, thus enhancing overall health. This begins with a concerted effort between the patient and the healthcare and dental teams. When medical problems exist, the physician and other involved healthcare professionals should be consulted, as these diseases can affect the safety and efficacy of various dental treatments. Thus a unified approach should be followed to assist geriatric patients to maintain optimal oral health and a high quality of life. Here in, this article we have reviewed the categories geriatric patients are divided to, various aging theories, changes occurring in various systems with their effects on system along with the various dental effects and age changes in them and treatment needs and strategies' concerning the elderly population.