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Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
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Prevention of Oral Functional Decline
Hiroshi Ogawa1, Gerry McKenna2, Matana Kettratad-Pruksapong3
1Faculty of Dentistry, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan.
International Dental Journal
|August 28, 2022
Summary
Public health strategies can prevent oral function decline in older adults by addressing tooth loss, dry mouth, and oral cancer. Prevention efforts should span the entire lifespan, not just focus on the elderly.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Oral Medicine
Background:
- The oral cavity is crucial for eating, speaking, socializing, and defense against pathogens.
- Maintaining oral health is essential for preventing functional decline in older populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline public health actions for preventing oral functional decline in older adults.
- To address tooth loss, hyposalivation (dry mouth), and oral cancer.
Main Methods:
- Review of negative impacts of tooth loss, hyposalivation, and oral cancer.
- Description of public health approaches for prevention and management.
- Emphasis on life-course perspective and common risk factor strategies.
Main Results:
- Tooth loss (from caries, periodontal disease) impairs eating, speech, and social interaction; prevention involves clinical, community, and policy actions.
- Hyposalivation, often due to polypharmacy and anticholinergic drugs, requires interprofessional collaboration for medication management.
- Oral cancer and its treatments severely impact oral function; tobacco and alcohol are key risk factors, necessitating public health interventions.
Conclusions:
- Public health policies should encourage common risk factor approaches targeting tobacco and alcohol consumption.
- Oral function decline prevention requires a life-course perspective, not solely focusing on older individuals.
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