Dental care in older adults

Good oral health is an essential part of ageing well. Good mouth care enables people to eat, speak and socialise without pain or embarrassment and contributes hugely to quality of life and general health. Community-dwelling older adults may find access to dental services difficult, and increasing co-morbidities can make self-care a challenge. Older adults are at increased risk of dental disease, and general health complications can make access to dental services and treatment planning difficult. Further, they may find lengthy dental procedures overwhelming. Therefore, there is a need to prevent the decline in oral health in order to maintain general health.