[Oral conditions and oral management approaches in mild dementia patients]

The oral management of dementia patients is critical to prevent aspiration pneumonia and maintain patients' quality of life. However, the oral health status of these patients has not been adequately elucidated thus far, and it is not well understood how oral care is managed for mild dementia patients. To provide effective oral management for mild dementia patients, we investigated their oral health status and how their oral care was managed.

We enrolled 10 outpatients aged 66 to 85 years old who regularly visited our neurology clinic. All of the patients had mild dementia. We conducted 2 questionnaire studies regarding oral hygiene and dentures and performed an oral examination to evaluate the changes in oral hygiene status over time. The questionnaire was designed to explore the understanding of oral hygiene methods. Oral care instructions were given to the patients and their caregivers. Three surveys of 2 questionnaires each were performed. The survey was conducted at the initial visit, and 3 months and 6 months later.

Although oral care instructions were given to the patients and their caregivers, neither their plaque index nor gingival index showed major improvement over time. Based on the results of these questionnaires, patient awareness of oral hygiene did not change over time.

It is difficult for patients with mild dementia to perform oral care by themselves. It is important to make oral hygiene habits second nature in middle-aged patients, to introduce oral management to be performed by the caregivers and to promote early dental intervention to improve and maintain oral hygiene status in mild dementia patients.