Identification and treatment of the geriatric alcoholic dental patient

The geriatric alcoholic patient is often difficult to identify because signs of alcoholism are also signs of aging. Often, the elderly abuse alcohol for different reasons than younger individuals do, and these differences can be used for identification of geriatric alcoholics. While alcoholics may have more oral disease than nonalcoholics, most dental treatment of the alcoholic patient does not differ significantly from that for the nonalcoholic. However, the dentist must be aware of damage to the immune system and liver by alcohol, which complicates healing after surgical procedures. The dentist also must be cautious about prescribing postoperative medications to alcoholic and recovering alcoholic patients. Screening tests for alcoholism in the elderly can be used not only to identify problem drinkers, but also to make them aware of their abuse of alcohol. Referral of these patients for rehabilitation therapy is the first step to establishing a sober lifestyle, which often has social and health benefits. Thus, the alert dentist has the opportunity to improve significantly both the oral health and the lifestyle of these patients by careful analysis of the patients' social, as well as, dental needs.