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Updated: May 6, 2026
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Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
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Caries Status in People with Dementia: A Systematic Review
Weigao Cheng1, Dongmin Zhang1,2, Qiwen Li1
1State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|March 17, 2025
Summary
Dementia patients have significantly poorer oral health, with higher rates of decayed and missing teeth compared to controls. This highlights the urgent need for increased attention to dental care for individuals with dementia.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Oral Health
- Neurology
Background:
- Individuals with dementia often experience compromised oral health.
- Existing research on caries status in dementia patients presents conflicting findings.
- This study addresses the need for a comprehensive assessment of oral health in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and assess the caries status in older adults diagnosed with dementia.
- To quantify the differences in oral health metrics between individuals with and without dementia.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search across PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus databases.
- Risk of bias assessment using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist.
- Meta-analysis of decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) index and its components (DT, MT, FT) using a random effects model.
Main Results:
- Meta-analysis of 20 studies revealed significantly higher DMFT index (WMD: 3.76) in the dementia group.
- Individuals with dementia showed increased decayed teeth (DT) (WMD: 0.40) and missing teeth (MT) (WMD: 3.67).
- No significant difference was observed in filled teeth (FT) (WMD: -0.66) between groups.
Conclusions:
- People living with dementia exhibit a poorer caries status compared to their non-demented counterparts.
- The findings underscore the critical need for enhanced oral health monitoring and care for dementia patients.
- Medical staff and caregivers should prioritize the oral hygiene of individuals with dementia.
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