Elderly Receiving Home Care Nursing Risk Factors for Dental Caries

Objectives: In dentistry the oral health of elderly is a growing concern. Elderly receiving home care nursing in Norway have rights for free dental treatment in community dental services. However, professional secrecy prevents the dental professionals to identify them. Home care nurses have general responsibility of the patient's need for health services and need for assistance in general and oral hygiene. Oral health has a history of little attention from nursing staff. To highlight oral health among nurses, the present study was planned. The aim was to explore risk factors for dental caries among elderly in home care nursing, knowledge of their rights for free dental services and self-reported problems with- and need for assistance in performing dental cleaning.

Method: Cross sectional, descriptive study, 137 patients in Oslo, Norway receiving home care nursing were questioned by nurse students.

Results: Mean age 80.8 years (sd 10.0), mean 38.1 month (sd 40.0) in home care nursing, 85.5 % natural teeth., 54% xerostomia, 61% more than 5 medications daily.

64% reported more than 6 months since dental treatment. 38% had been informed about their rights for free use of- and 19% used community dental clinics , Although 76% reported poor eyesight and 50% reported paresis in hands or fingers, only 16% reported problems with proper tooth brushing and only 7.3% wanted assistance with oral hygiene. Only 4.4% received assistance.

Conclusion: The majority of patients have objective risk factors for dental caries; they were not properly informed about their rights for dental services and there was a divergence between reduced physical function (paresis is arm/ fingers, eyesight) and the subjective need for assistance with tooth cleaning. To identify risk factors of dental caries and implement proper prophylactic plans, increased focus and cooperation among dental staff, nursing staff and elderly themselves is essential