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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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| Preventive oral health intervention among older home care clients | | Author(s) | Annamari Nihtila, Evelina Tuuliainen, Kaija Komulainen |
| Journal title | Age and Ageing, vol 46, no 5, September 2017 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press, September 2017 |
| Pages | pp 846-851 |
| Source | https://academic.oup.com/ageing |
| Keywords | Dental problems ; Preventative medicine ; Home care services ; Over 70s ; Finland. |
| Annotation | Poor oral health is common among older people dependent on supportive care and it affects their quality of life. Cognitive impairment and functional dependency may increase the risk of compromised daily oral hygiene. The aim of this Finnish study was to investigate the effectiveness of a tailored preventive oral health intervention among home care clients aged 75 years or over. The intervention group comprised 151 patients and a control group of 118 patients. An interview and a clinical examination were carried out before a tailored intervention of oral and denture hygiene. The participants in both groups were re-interviewed and re-examined after six months. The intervention significantly reduced the number of plaque covered teeth and improved denture hygiene. In addition functional ability and cognitive function were significantly associated with better oral hygiene. Overall the intervention had a positive effect on oral hygiene, however the number of teeth with plaque remained high, even after the intervention. Multiple approaches based on individual needs are required to improve the oral health of vulnerable older adults, including integrating dental preventive care into a daily care plan carried out by home care nurses. (JL). |
| Accession Number | CPA-171006208 A |
| Classmark | BLA: LK2: NH: BBK: 76L |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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