Ošetřovatelské perspektivy 2023, 6(2):73-87 | DOI: 10.25142/osp.2023.004

ORAL CARE AND REMOVABLE DENTURES FOR THE ELDERLY

Iveta Bryjová¹, Ľubica Libová², Miroslav Misár^1,3, Hana Hozová^1,4

¹ Ústav nelékařských zdravotnických studií, Fakulta veřejných politik v Opavě, Slezská univerzita v Opavě

² Vysoká škola zdravotníctva a sociálnej práce sv. Alžbety, Fakulta zdravotníctva a sociálnej práce sv. Ladislava, Nové Zámky

³ Samostatná ordinace PL – stomatologa

⁴ Slezská nemocnice v Opavě

Background: Approximately 80% of the Czech geriatric population has functionally deficient dentition. Tooth loss brings with it negative consequences on functionality and aesthetics. The most serious consequence of poor oral health of the elderly is malnutrition. Loss of dentition causes early atrophy of the jawbone and can negatively affect the construction of fully functional dentures. Education and motivation of seniors in oral health has also long been underestimated. It should be a fixed component of the preventive care system.

Aim: Finding relevant and recent literature in electronic information sources related to the oral health of the elderly and the care of the oral cavity and dental prosthetics through the Web of Science platform, and verifying the thesis of the author's collective on the given issue.

Methods: In general, theoretical methods of analysis and generalization based on literary sources obtained, topped with a component of own thoughts and reflections.

Results and discussion: From the available relevant and recent sources, it was confirmed that insufficient attention is paid to oral health and hygienic care of the oral cavity and dental prosthetics in the geriatric population. The bad state ofthe oral cavity ultimately has a number of functional and aesthetic limitations that can lead to a deterioration of the oral and, by extension, overall health of the elderly. Inadequate levels of oral health are more commonly seen in seniors suffering from dementia. The knowledge of the nursing staff in clinical and social care is - together with preventive care – among the main goals of how to improve the oral health of seniors in the long term.

Conclusions: Aging is a significant risk factor for the development of health problems. General health has a wide interaction with oral health. Oral health and hygienic care of the oral cavity in the elderly is not given sufficient attention, whether by the elderly themselves, the nursing staff or the system of preventive care falling under the department of public health. Removable dentures can increase the risk of tooth decay, periodontal disease and oral mucosal disease due to insufficient oral hygiene, increased accumulation of plaque and tartar. By improving access in the areas of dental care availability, professional dental hygiene, personal hygiene care of the oral cavity and dentures, education and motivation of seniors and medical personnel, the negative consequences on the oral health of seniors can be satisfactorily eliminated.

Keywords: Oral health, dental hygiene, dentition, prosthetics, dentures, senior, gerontostomatology, preventive care, preventive examinations, prevention, oral microbiome, literature review

Received: January 9, 2023; Revised: January 13, 2023; Accepted: January 16, 2023; Published: February 26, 2024  Show citation