Staging and Grading in Gerodontology-An Introduction

Area of Science:

• Gerodontology
• Oral Health Assessment
• Aging Research

Background:

• Gerodontology currently lacks a standardized system for evaluating case complexity and the diverse factors influencing oral health in older adults.
• This deficiency hinders consistent clinical practice, research, and educational approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an evidence-based, internationally recognized framework for staging and grading oral health in older adults.
• To establish a unified language for gerodontological assessment.

Main Methods:

• An international collaborative effort was undertaken to create a comprehensive case definition.
• The process involved synthesizing evidence to define staging and grading criteria for older adults' oral health.

Main Results:

• The developed framework includes staging across three domains: the individual, oral function (both clinical and self-reported), and oral disease levels (caries, periodontal disease, mucosal conditions).
• Grading encompasses a wide array of risk factors, including oral health status (caries, periodontal disease), prosthetic needs, xerostomia, systemic health (multimorbidity, polypharmacy), dependency, nutrition, socioeconomic status, and social support.

Conclusions:

• This novel framework successfully integrates biological, functional, systemic, and social determinants of oral health into a cohesive structure.
• It has achieved broad international consensus, providing a common lexicon for clinical practice, scientific inquiry, education, and policy development in gerodontology.
• Future research should focus on validating the framework's feasibility, accuracy, and responsiveness to interventions.