Oral health promotion for our ageing Australian population

The ageing Australian population living in the new millennium has dental needs that are very different and more complex than those experienced by previous older adult cohorts during the twentieth century. A summary of the oral health status of older Australians is presented, together with a review of the important relationships between general health and oral health. The key to maintaining and improving older adults' oral health status is the use of oral health promotion strategies that focus not only on dental characteristics, but also on the life characteristics of older adults, and on their quality of life issues. Traditionally, there has been very limited geriatric oral health promotion, with several myths contributing to this situation. Contemporary geriatric oral health promotion in the new millenium has an evidence-based and planned approach. It encompasses not only the treatment of oral diseases and conditions, but has an increased focus on the prevention of oral diseases and conditions to enhance oral health status and older adults' quality of life. Using the Ottawa Charter and a functional dependence classification, a geriatric oral health promotion matrix is presented, using a specific example of Australian residential care.