[Statistical analysis of a dental care program for homebound elderly patients in Shinjuku-ku]

A dental care service program for homebound elderly patients has been operating since 1988 in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo. The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics of patients who received this dental care service. Based on a survey questionnaire and treatment card from April 1995 to March 1999, we analyzed the characteristics of patients. The following conclusions were obtained. 1. We studied 301 patients (males, 124; females, 177). The average age of the patients was 81.2 +/- 9.0 years. Eighty-four percent of the patients had a medical history. 2. Oral hygiene was practiced by 68% of the subjects: 78% by themselves, and 22% by caregivers. Half of the patients (53%) brushed their teeth every day, and one-third (32%) did not. 3. The mean number of DMF teeth was 25.4 (DT, 1.6; MT, 20.5; FT, 3.3). 4. About eighty percent (79%) of the patients had removable dentures, and one-third of them were upper and lower complete dentures. 5. The chief complaint of homebound elderly was the denture problem (73%). Therefore, the care provided at the bedside was mainly denture-related treatments. 6. Average times for visiting were 5.1. 7. Sixty-eight percent of the patients requested home dentist's visitation for dental care service, and 80% of the requested dentists performed such treatment. 8. Seventy-eight percent of the elderly patients were satisfied with the service program. This dental care program for homebound elderly patients seemed to work well. However, to meet needs for the expanding number of aged persons and to make it coincide with the new health and welfare scheme, reform of the program might be necessary.