Identifying and addressing the challenges of oral care for the elderly patient

Growth in the proportion of elderly in the US population and the dropping rate of edentulousness are resulting in an increasingly diverse geriatric dental population. This paper focuses on oral hygiene provision in older patients, because the provision of effective daily oral care is a key factor for rehabilitative and maintenance plans. Both intraoral and extraoral impediments to oral care are discussed with reference to the older patient. Strategies to address these impediments are offered, including specific suggestions for the involvement of other family members and other health care providers.