[A PhD completed. Oral health care and oral health-related quality of life of frail and care-dependent older people]. / Serie: Hora est. Mondzorg en mondgezondheidgerelateerde levenskwaliteit van kwetsbare en zorgafhankelijke ouderen.

When older people become frail, they often give up making dental visits, while their oral health care and oral health deteriorate. Open interviews and questionnaires were used to explore why frail older people change their oral health care behaviour and which (frailty-related) factors contribute to this change. These are mainly motivation-related factors. There seems to be a turning point where frail older people discontinue their oral health care routines and stop caring whether or not they loose teeth, because the perceived efforts no longer outweigh the perceived benefits of making dental visits and upkeep of oral hygiene. The use of standard questionnaires such as the validated Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index-NL to measure oral health-related quality of life is limited, because they do not provide personal context required to interpret the outcomes. From a pre-frail stage (oral) care providers should monitor specific factors that might negatively affect oral health and oral health care behaviour, like chronic pain or diminished mobility, dexterity, cognition, will to live, energy and social support.

Oral health and dental care in aged care facilities in New South Wales, Australia. Part 3 concordance between residents' perceptions and a professional dental examination.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the perceptions of dental care held by the residents in aged care facilities (ACFs) in New South Wales (NSW) and to compare these perceptions with clinical observations. BACKGROUND: No specific data exist relating to NSW residents' perceptions of dental care compared with a clinical examination. Planning for appropriate oral health programs in ACFs necessitate such data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four Area Health Services of Sydney and 25 low care ACFs were selected from which representative residents were sampled who completed a survey and underwent a basic dental examination. RESULTS: Of the subjects (25 males, 96 females), 76.9% had never received a dental visit as entering the ACF; 14.1% suffered from dental pain; 69.4% wore dentures and of these 18.3% required assistance in cleaning. Dentures were cleaned twice/day in 54.9% of cases. Natural teeth were reported present in 71.9% of residents, and 85.1% did not require assistance in cleaning. Appropriate dental care facilities and dry mouth were most frequent problems highlighted. Clinical examinations showed that 69% were denture wearers; oral hygiene and denture hygiene were considered good in 15.7% of cases. A high level of concordance existed between self-reports and examination. CONCLUSIONS: Increased awareness about oral health across leadership, caregivers and residents with appropriate dental health education and dedicated space within facilities would provide a much needed improvement for addressing oral health issues of the ACF residents. This might be the right time to plan for the future challenges that will need to be met by the NSW care system.

Dentist skill and setting to address dental treatment needs of care home residents in Wales.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between treatment plans, complexity anticipated in delivering those plans, and the special care dental skills and settings identified as appropriate. BACKGROUND: In older adults, many factors may complicate dental treatment including health and disability problems. Assessment of dental treatment needs amongst care home residents provides information about clinical care required and clinical experience needed for this population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Analysis of dental data collected in a 2010 Welsh survey. Data analysed included treatment plan information, complexity assessment and dental expertise and settings required to deliver the treatment plans. RESULTS: The majority of participating residents needed simple dentistry, that is examinations, oral hygiene instruction, scaling of teeth, fillings, new dentures and fluoride application. Additional time was the commonest complexity factor. A large proportion of participants required dental treatment within a domiciliary setting. A similar proportion required care within a primary care setting (typically with care from a general dental practitioner) or a special care clinic (typically with care from a dentist with special care experience). Treatment plans involving specialists were more likely to be associated with poor general health, higher levels of interventional treatment and greater complexity. CONCLUSION: Most treatment need in care homes is basic restorative, periodontal and preventive care. Half of this could be managed by general dentists, some on a domiciliary basis and the rest in primary care dental clinics. The commonest complexity was additional time. More complex treatments were associated with care in clinics, skills in special care dentistry and multidisciplinary care.

Does residential aged care need dental professionals? A qualitative study on dental professionals' perceptions in Australia.

OBJECTIVE: Adults in residential aged care often retain their own teeth following restorative dental procedures during their lives. They may also have physical and psychological comorbidities impacting on oral health including side effects from medications. residents' poor oral hygiene, dental caries and periodontal disease raise questions about the quality of oral health care in aged care facilities. This paper presents findings from a study investigating dental professionals' perceptions of barriers and enablers to providing oral care to residents in such settings. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Following university ethics approval, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 dental professionals [five dentists, three oral health therapists (OHTs) and nine dental hygienists] across Australia to address the issue. Interviews were transcribed and analysed for key themes, noting similarities and differences within and between groups that were compared to existing evidence. RESULTS: Key themes emerging from interviews included individual and organisational difficulties dental professionals experience when meeting residents' oral health needs; poor access to dental resources; limited oral health education for aged care staff; and lack of interprofessional collaboration. Suggested enablers to oral health included interprofessional education and practice, reflecting broader trends in health care that positively impact on health outcomes. CONCLUSION: Improving residents' oral health requires appropriate organisational commitment to support dental and non-dental health providers deliver high-quality oral care. This study highlights the need to critically review barriers and enablers to providing such care, particularly as Australia's ageing population increases and longer periods are spent in residential aged care.

[An evaluation of the implementation of the 'Guidelines for oral care for patients dependent on care']. / Een evaluatie van de implementatie van de 'Richtlijn mondzorg voor zorgafhankelijke cliënten in verpleeghuizen'.

75% of older people being admitted to a nursing home are found to have oral care problems that have not been treated. Moreover, the Healthcare Inspectorate [in the Netherlands] reports that oral care for patients who depend on care in nursing homes is inadequate. The 'Guidelines for oral care for patients dependent on care in nursing homes', developed in 2007, appears to have been inadequately implemented. The goal of this research was to gain insight into the implementation of these guidelines in healthcare organisations. To that end, a questionnaire was distributed among the staff of 74 nursing homes. An analysis of the data revealed that people are -familiar with the guidelines and that oral care providers are often available. Oral care providers, however, often do not have access to reasonable dental care facilities. Patients are, moreover, generally not screened and/or monitored in accordance with the guidelines. Finally, it seems that the instruction of nurses and care-providers is insufficient. Research supports the conclusion that the nursing home staff is well-acquainted with the 'Guidelines for oral care for patients dependent on care' but that implementation of the guidelines in daily practice leaves much to be desired.

The integration of oral health care into day-to-day care in nursing homes: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: This qualitative study explored barriers and enabling factors to the implementation of an oral hygiene protocol in nursing homes. BACKGROUND: Oral health care in nursing homes in Flanders (Belgium) is inadequate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Qualitative data were obtained from nurses employed in 13 nursing homes involved in two randomised controlled trials in Flanders-Belgium. Data were collected by focus group and face-to-face interviews during April 2005 and December 2009. All transcripts were analysed with support of NVivo 8 (Version 2008). Transcripts were intuitively analysed in a two-step method. RESULTS: Most revealed barriers were consistent with previous findings in the literature. Newly reported barriers were respect for residents' self-determination, experience based oral health care by nurses, residents' oral health status and nurses' inability to notice residents' oral health status. Demand-driven oral health care was found to be a strong enabling factor. CONCLUSION: The integration of oral health care into day-to-day care seems to be a major problem due to a multitude of barriers. In future implementation innovations in oral health care an a priori assessment of influencing factors is recommended.

Provision of dental care in aged care facilities NSW Australia- Part 2 as perceived by the carers (care providers).

OBJECTIVES: To investigate carers' perception of the provision of dental care in aged care facilities (ACFs) New South Wales (NSW), Australia. BACKGROUND: Carers are responsible for 'hands-on, day-to-day' care of residents, including dental care, yet there were no specific figures available concerning their role in NSW ACFs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Questionnaires were mailed to 406 NSW directors of nursing (DONs) requesting completion by a carer who was proficient in English and without the influence of the DON. The 23-item questionnaire was presented in 4 sections, and the data qualitatively analysed. RESULTS: 211 questionnaires were completed and returned, giving a response rate of 52%. Carers were mostly female (91.9%) in the 40-50 and >50 age groups. Oral health training had been received by 66.7% of carers, and although 73.2% thought that their training was adequate, carers in general requested further training. Long waiting periods for government dental services (69.4%) and resident unable to communicate oral health problems (69.2%) were seen as the most frequent barriers to dental care. Almost all carers reported the availability of electric tooth brushes, fluoride gel, disclosing tablets/gel, interdental brushes and the use of a foam mouth prop, while few reported the use of other dental care products. CONCLUSION: As carers provided almost all of oral health care for residents, emphasis should be placed on training in geriatric dental care techniques and use of dental products.

The Francis Report--implications for oral care of the elderly.

Oral health is an essential, yet often neglected, aspect of care in the elderly population. A mouth free of pain and disease which is functional, comfortable and aesthetic improves quality of life. Following the shocking reports of patient neglect and abuse published in the Francis Report, the dental profession must acknowledge that there are longstanding deficiencies in the provision of oral healthcare for the elderly, whether residing in care homes, hospitals or at home with support. It must be a universal goal to improve the care provision for this population through developing a greater understanding and overcoming the multi-factorial barriers to care. This article will highlight the key features of the Francis Report and its significance in the context of oral healthcare provision for the elderly. Clinical Relevance: To provide insight into the oral healthcare needs of the growing elderly population and the necessity of dealing with the current limitations in service provision.

Effectiveness of supervised implementation of an oral health care guideline in care homes; a single-blinded cluster randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a supervised implementation of the "Oral health care Guideline for Older people in Long-term care Institutions" (OGOLI) in The Netherlands. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of 12 care homes in the Netherlands was allocated randomly to an intervention or control group. While the residents in the control group received oral health care as before, the intervention consisted of a supervised implementation of the OGOLI. RESULTS: At baseline, the overall random sample comprised 342 residents, 52 % in the intervention group and 48 % in the control group. At 6 months, significant differences were observed between the intervention and the control group for mean dental as well as denture plaque, with a beneficial effect for the intervention group. The multilevel mixed-model analyses conducted with the plaque scores at 6 months as outcome variables showed that the reduction by the intervention was only significant for denture plaque. CONCLUSIONS: Supervised implementation of the OGOLI was more effective than non-supervised implementation in terms of reducing mean plaque scores at 6 months. However, the multilevel mixed-model analysis could not exclusively explain the reduction of mean dental plaque scores by the intervention. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A supervised implementation of an oral health care guideline improves oral health of care home residents.

[The attitude of elderly people living in Samara to organizational forms in gerontostomatology (based on materials of medical and sociological research)].

This article presents the results of medical and sociological research devoted to the study of elderly patients' opinion about different organizational forms providing gerontostomatological assistance. We came to the conclusion that the citizens of the old age groups have different preferences. The introduction of new organizational forms into dentistry for the elderly should be based on the results of sociological research.

An oral health care guideline for institutionalised older people.

Institutionalized older people are prone to oral health problems and their negative impact due to frailty, disabilities, multi-morbidity, and multiple medication use. Until recently, no evidence-based oral health care guideline for institutionalized older people has been available. For that reason, the Dutch Association of Nursing Home Physicians developed the Oral health care Guideline for Older people in Long-term care Institutions (OGOLI), meeting the requirements of the AGREE instrument for assessing a guideline's quality. This short report presents the keynotes and the content of the Oral health care Guideline. Most recommendations are based on expert opinions. Only 4 recommendations (education, pneumonia, use of an electric toothbrush, and fluoride rinsing in case of a sudden increase of oral plaque amount) are based on evidence level A2 conclusions. This emphasizes the need for further research on oral health of institutionalized older people.

[Quality of life in gerodontology]. / Levenskwaliteit in de gerodontologie.

In clinical decision-making on whether or not to treat an oral disease and on making a choice from the spectrum of treatment options, the influence of the treatment on the physical and psycho-social well-being of the patient should play a crucial role. This awareness originates from gerodontology. To assess the value of a potential treatment, the concept quality of life has been advanced and various related questionnaires have been developed and employed. In the meantime, doubts have arisen about the value of these questionnaires. The present-day trend is to return to so-called qualitative research, which consists of systematic interviews of groups of older people using open-ended questions without making use of structured response options.

[Providing oral healthcare to frail older people who wear complete dentures. No place for standard treatments]. / Zorgverlening aan kwetsbare ouderen met volledige gebitsprothesen. Geen plaats voor standaardbehandelingen.

Frail older people who wear complete dentures may have denture-related complaints which are more pronounced due to their somatic, psychological and/or social problems. On the other hand, it often happens that serious complaints are not or cannot be expressed. In those cases, members of the individual's social network or care providers may request treatment. According to the authors' experience, managing technical denture disorders by carrying out standard treatments or inserting oral implants is not always successful. Basic principles of providing oral healthcare to frail older people are: restraint in carrying out treatments, avoiding standard treatments, taking into consideration the limited adaptability of older people, continuous awareness of one's own functioning in the decision-making process, and paying attention to the role of family members, voluntary and professional care providers, and physicians.

European College of Gerodontology: undergraduate curriculum guidelines in gerodontology.

Effective undergraduate teaching of gerodontology to present and future dental students is important if good oral health care of older people is to be assured. A review of the undergraduate curriculum for gerodontology is presented and indicates the need for a knowledge base from which new graduates can develop a special interest in care of older patients. The aim is improved care of older patients, satisfaction for teaching staff involved and improved professional standing for Dentistry. Motivation of students could also be achieved by the positive match between rising patient awareness and ethical responsibility of the profession for those older patients. As it stands, the undergraduate curriculum should include topics on specific care for the elderly and other patient groups, which extend the competences already agreed by the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE). The logistics of teaching these topics will need co-ordination of those staff with appropriate skill and interest, preferably as a development of existing curriculum content.

[Oral health care guidelines for elderly people in long-term care facilities. Effectiveness and implementation in The Netherlands and Flanders]. / De richtlijn mondzorg voor ouderen in zorginstellingen. Effectiviteit en implementatie in Nederland en Vlaanderen.

Oral health care includes self-care, volunteer care, and professional care for maintaining or advancing appropriate oral health. It has been demonstrated that the oral health care in long-term care facilities for elderly people in The Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium) is not adequate. Daily oral hygiene care, carers' knowledge and skills providing adequate oral health care, (co)morbidity, and drug usage are points of special interest in realizing an improvement of oral health care and oral health. The Dutch Association of Nursing Home Physicians has formulated oral health care guidelines for elderly people in long-term care facilities. A research project on the effectiveness and implementation will be carried out, determining the guidelines'quality. The aim of the project is improving the quality of oral health care for and the quality of oral health and life of elderly people in long-term care facilities in The Netherlands and Flanders.

[Dementia and oral health]. / Dementie en mondgezondheid.

The first part of this article is a translation of an editorial which appeared in the journal Gerodontology. The author warns that a great increase is expected in the number of dementia patients in the United Kingdom and he argues that care for these patients be given a high place on the national agenda. Dementia was also a major issue at the meeting of the International Association for Dental Research in March 2007. Several international studies presented there indicated that elderly people with dementia constitute a group at risk with respect to oral health. In the evaluation of the editorial, the situation in The Netherlands is described. There is also serious concern in The Netherlands about the statistics with respect to dementia. Due to the growing number of frail elderly people having a natural dentition, the need for professional oral care will increase. General practitioners have the important task of providing adequate oral health care for elderly people suffering from dementia who are still living at home. Guidelines for Oral Care, having to do with the improvement of oral care in institutions, appeared recently. With the guidelines, a good basis for developing adequate oral health care of frail elderly people is available. However, the implementation of these guidelines will require some attention.

Beliefs about managing dental problems among older people and dental professionals in Southern Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the sociocultural context in which patients and dentists in urban and rural communities in Southern Brazil interpret dental problems. METHOD: Beliefs and experiences related to dental problems were explored in eight focus groups involving a total of 41 older patients, and in direct interviews with two dentists and two dental assistants. The interactions were audio recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis. RESULTS: The beliefs and experiences of the participants focused on four main themes: cultural beliefs; dental services; decisions to extract teeth; and expectations for change. A culture of pre-nuptial tooth loss and complete dentures was considered beneficial to young women. Although dental services at the time were scarce in the region, demands for relief of pain were extensive despite the fear and anxiety of the participants. Extraction of teeth and fabrication of complete dentures were the usual dental treatments available, although some participants felt that dentists withheld other treatment options. Participants were hopeful that dental services would improve for their children. CONCLUSIONS: Patients and dental professionals in urban and rural communities of Southern Brazil managed dental problems within a culture of limited access and availability of services that favoured dental extractions and complete dentures.

[The guideline Oral Health Care for dependent residents in long term care facilities, 2007: dire necessity!]. / De Richtlijn Mondzorg voor zorgafhankelijke cliënten in verpleeghuizen, 2007: bittere noodzaak!

The oral health status of residents in Dutch nursing homes is rather poor, especially of those depending on caregivers for their oral health care. Moreover, when care dependency is rising, the provision of good oral health care becomes more difficult. With more elderly people still having (parts of) their natural teeth, the need for good oral health care is increasing even more. Therefore a specific guideline was developed. The ultimate aim of the guideline "Oral health care for dependent residents in long term care facilities" is to improve the oral health of nursing home residents. Oral health care needs to be incorporated in daily nursing home care routine and in the integral care plan of every resident. Attention is given to the importance of an adequate implementation of this guideline as well as to the necessity of research evaluating the effects of it's implementation.