Shortcomings of prosthodontic rehabilitation of patients living in long-term care facilities

Clinical and Subjective Oral Health Status of Care Home Residents in Europe: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

Several studies demonstrated the poor oral health of care home residents in Europe but there is no systematic overview of the relevant literature. The objective of this study was to systematically review the evidence on the clinical and subjective oral health outcomes of care home residents in Europe.

DESIGN

The study design is a systematic review.

METHODS AND PARTICIPANTS

All included publications presented data on clinical and/or subjective oral health outcomes in care home residents in Europe with no restrictions for language or study design. MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL were searched, including publications from January 2010 onward. Data extraction and quality assessment (Qualsyst tool) was performed by 2 researchers independently. Findings were synthesized narratively, lack in data homogeneity restricted the relevance of a meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Eighty-three papers from 18 countries were included in the systematic review, with a sample size ranging from 39 to 92,827 participants. Their mean age was older than 80 years. The residents had few natural teeth, with fewer than a third a functional natural dentition. Removable dentures were present in half to 80% of residents. A high prevalence of dental caries was reported. Oral hygiene was insufficient, for both natural teeth and removable dentures. Few residents had a healthy periodontium. Clinical treatment needs were found in most residents. Perceived treatment needs were high with at least one-third of care home residents reporting a need for care due to poor oral health. A fifth to half of the residents reported negative impacts of their oral condition on their everyday lives.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

This systematic review clearly highlights the poor oral health and high burden of oral conditions among care home residents across Europe, irrespective of country or health care system. There is need for substantial policy actions to improve oral health in care homes.

Denture wearing is associated with nutritional status among older adults requiring long-term care: A cross-sectional study

Background/purpose

Dentures are important for the reconstruction of occlusal support and masticatory performance for older adults with poor dentition. We aimed to elucidate the oral health factors associated with malnutrition in older adults requiring long-term care, including denture use.

Materials and methods

This cross-sectional study included 322 older adults (63 men, 259 women; mean age, 86.6 ± 6.9 years) who required long-term care in rural Japan. The participant's nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA®-SF). Oral health was assessed using participant's dentition and oral function. Barthel Index (BI) and medical history were measured for assessing general health status. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the oral health factors associated with malnutrition.

Results

The proportion of participants with malnutrition was 17.2%. The BI score (odds ratio [OR], 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.93–0.98, p<0.001), having <20 teeth and dentures (OR 0.42; 95%CI 0.18–0.99; p = 0.047), and poor lip-closure ability (OR 2.86; 95%CI 1.32–6.20; p = 0.008) were significantly associated with malnutrition.

Conclusion

Denture use, lip-closure ability, and activities of daily living were significantly associated with malnutrition in older adults requiring long-term care, suggesting that wearing dentures for tooth loss and maintaining oral function contributes to nutritional status.

Medical Diagnoses, Mode of Residence, and Dental Treatment Demand under General Anesthesia in Special Needs Adults in Innsbruck, Austria. A Retrospective Breakdown of Four and a Half Years

Regarding oral/dental care and attendance, special needs individuals depend on their caregivers' commitment. The purpose of this retrospective data analysis of adults who received dental general anesthesia (DGA) in Innsbruck, Austria, was a breakdown of demographic parameters (including the mode of accommodation/care), medical diagnoses (comprising intellectual/physical disablement (IPD) or psychiatric (anxiety) disorders (PDs)), and dental therapy performed under DGA. The sample was composed of 233 consecutive adults who underwent DGA from January 2015 to June 2019. Data were analyzed with descriptive and comparative statistics. In total, 133 (57.1%) subjects were male and 100 (42.9%) female; 176 (75.5%) had IPD and 57 (24.5%) PDs; 168 (72.1%) were living at private and 65 (27.9%) at nursing homes. Median age (IQR) was 35.6 (25.7-47.2) years. In the total sample, 5 (2-9) teeth were restored and 2 (0.5-6.5) teeth were extracted. Individuals with PDs had more teeth restored (p = 0.01) and extracted (p < 0.001) than individuals with IPD. Private home residents had more teeth restored (p < 0.001) but less teeth extracted (p = 0.003) than nursing home residents. Special needs individuals' oral health backlog should be tackled in private and institutional care modalities alike.

Quality of life related to tooth loss and prosthetic replacements among persons with dependency and functional limitations

Objectives: To examine if tooth loss or treatment with different prosthetic replacements are associated with oral health-related or health-related quality of life (OHRQoL or HRQoL) among persons with dependency and functional limitations.Material and Methods: Comparisons between results of questionnaires and clinical data (number of teeth, Eichner index, presence, type, and condition of prosthetic replacements) from a population of 180 individuals with dependency and functional limitations sampled from the register of increased financial support in Norrbotten County, Sweden.Results: The associations between clinical variables and the questionnaire responses were weak overall, e.g. Spearman's rho was 0.162 (p = .033) for correlation between number of teeth and GOHAI, 0.094 (p = .249) for number of teeth and OHIP, -0.070 (p = .356) for complete dentures and GOHAI, and -0.108 (p = .185) for complete dentures and OHIP.Conclusions: The weak associations between clinical variables and questionnaire results in the present study suggest that good results on measured QoL do not necessarily indicate good oral health. As we cannot expect this specific population to report oral disorders by themselves, regular check-ups are necessary.

Dental treatment under general anesthesia in adults with special needs at the University Hospital of Dental Prosthetics and Restorative Dentistry of Innsbruck, Austria: a retrospective study of 12 years

OBJECTIVES

Special needs patients are prone to insufficient oral care and subsequent caries or periodontitis. The aim of this retrospective study was the assessment of demand for restorative therapy and tooth extractions under general anesthesia in adults with intellectual and/or physical disablement (IPD) or psychiatric disorders (PDs) with inherent dentist phobia at the University Hospital of Innsbruck with regard to demographic factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 444 consecutive cases of scheduled dental general anesthesia (DGA) in adults from 2003 to 2014 were included. From patient files, demographic data, the presence of either IPD or a PD, attested by a mandatory certificate, and restorative therapy and tooth extractions performed under DGA were obtained. Data analysis was carried out by means of descriptive and comparative statistics.

RESULTS

Four hundred two cases (mean age 37.5 ± 13.87 years) assigned to 283 individuals with IPD and 42 cases (mean age 36.09 ± 13.03 years) assigned to 39 individuals with PDs arose in the observed period. Patients with PDs required significantly more restorations (in 7.98 ± 5.4 versus 5.34 ± 4.41 teeth; p = 0.002; Mann-Whitney U test) and extractions (of 4.86 ± 4.51 versus 2.6 ± 3.96 teeth; p < 0.001; Mann-Whitney U test) than patients with IPD.

CONCLUSIONS

Demand for dental treatment was high in the collective of special needs patients. Oral health status was worse in patients with PDs than in patients suffering IPD.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

While in patients with severe disablement, DGA presents the only treatment option, specific preventive programs should be implemented for patients with minor disablement or dentist phobia. In these patients, alternative approaches should be promoted.