Feasibility study to improve oral health in older adult patients using visiting nursing services: A pilot study

Among older adults in Japan, those requiring long-term care who use visiting nursing services have particularly poor oral health. Given the importance of oral health, this study aims to evaluate the feasibility of oral health improvement interventions for such older adult patients using visiting nursing services. This study was a single-arm pilot study. The participants were those who provide oral care to older adults who use visiting nursing services, whether the patients themselves or their family members. Participants implemented oral care appropriate to the patient's oral environment at least once a day for four weeks. Feasibility assessment consisted of the recruitment, completion, and compliance rates. Changes in the oral environment were measured using the Oral Health Assessment Tool-Japanese (OHAT-J), and changes in scores were assessed over the study period. The study was conducted across three visiting nursing stations, with 52 participants (a recruitment rate of 73.2%). Of these, 42 participants completed the final questionnaire (a completion rate of 80.8%). The compliance rate was 64.3%. The mean OHAT-J score was 4.5 (SD 2.3) pre-intervention, 3.7 (SD 2.0) at one week post-intervention, and 3.6 (SD 2.2) at four weeks post-intervention (p < 0.001), indicating a significant positive trend. The feasibility of this intervention was generally satisfactory, and the results showed that the oral environment was improved. Future studies with a larger scale and higher level of evidence should be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention.