[Mucous membrane of the mouth and prostheses in old people (author's transl)]

The majority of people of advanced age at present have either very many gaps in their dentures or they have no teeth at all. For this reason they can only wear broad-base plate-type bridged, which can lead to pathological changes of the mucous membrane. The author uses the complex etiology of prothetic stomatopathy, in which not only changes in the mucous membrane of the mouth associated with ageing but also hormonal changes (menopause), general diseases and oral candidiasis play a role, to illustrated the necessity of collaboration between stomatologists and geriatricians. Oral and prosthetic hygiene degenerates with increasing age. The average period of wearing prostheses also increases with the age and the danger of chronic mucous membrane damage also increases. But since old people seldom if ever consult a stomatologist, every geriatrician should also have a look at the mucous membrane of the mouth when examining old patients.