As part of an approach to improve the oral hygiene of the elderly in long-term care, electric toothbrushes were fitted in the bathrooms of 118 residents in a nursing home. Objective: The purpose of the study was to register the attitudes of the nursing staff after these toothbrushes had been in use for one year. Materials and Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to the nursing staff who responded with information on whether the toothbrushes were being used, the time consumed, to what extent this device had simplified the provision of oral care for the residents, and any difficulties encountered. Results: The response rate to the questionnaires was 80% (i.e. 120 respondents). Of the responses, 77% of the staff replied that they always or frequently use the toothbrushes. When asked whether they find oral care procedures easier or more difficult with this device, 63% replied that performing the procedures is easier, 15% find it more difficult, and 22% notice no change when dealing with all the patients in the study. If patients suffering from dementia are considered separately, 45% of the staff find oral care procedures simpler when using electric toothbrushes, 31% find the procedures more difficult, and 24% register no difference. When using a manual toothbrush, 27% of the staff report spending more than 3 minutes on oral care, while only 5% report spending the same amount of time on oral care when using an electric toothbrush. Conclusion: This evaluation indicates that nursing staff prefer electric toothbrushes as this is simpler and less time-consuming.
The study was supported by The Norwegian Foundation for Health and Rehabilitation.