Objectives: To determine if moderate to severe dementia has an effect on the oral health of individuals resident in nursing homes.
Methods: Two matched cohorts of subjects resident in 4 nursing homes in Cheshire were recruited (n=135). One cohort's subjects were deemed to have no or mild dementia, whereas the other cohort's subjects were deemed to have moderate to severe dementia (determined by using the Abbreviated Mental Test ). An oral examination was done, which included DMFT scoring, dental deposit scoring, denture assessment (where indicated) and the noting of any other pathology.
Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the relative level of dementia of the subjects between the two cohorts (p< 0.01, Student's t-test). The DMFT scores were similar for both groups. The mean number (±STD) of decayed and missing teeth for the no / mild dementia group was 1.11(± 3.42) and 28.22 (± 6.64), whilst that of the moderate / severe dementia cohort was 0.80 (± 1.87) and 27.28 (± 7.73), respectively. Eleven per cent of the moderate / severe dementia cohort wore an upper denture alone as compared with 16 % in the no / mild dementia group. Further data were collected in terms of denture assessment and tooth and denture deposits.
Conclusion: For individuals resident in nursing homes, moderate to severe dementia might have a deleterious effect on oral health. Further work in this area is required.