Oral health‐related well‐being of the long‐term hospitalised elderly

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate oral health-related well-being of the long-term hospitalised elderly as reported by their primary nurses in relation to subject's oral health assessed either by primary nurses or by a clinical dental examination. BACKGROUND DATA: Little is known about oral health-related well-being of the medically compromised, long-term hospitalised elderly, most of whom are unable to express their feelings and opinions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study using a questionnaire for primary nurses about oral health and oral health-related well-being regarding functional, pain/discomfort-related, and psychosocial limitations of the subjects (n = 255) and assessment of oral health by clinical examination. The total number of limitations and the number of limitations in each category was calculated. RESULTS: Most (77%) of our subjects were unable to eat normal food. Functional limitations dominated followed by psychosocial and pain/discomfort-related limitations. Overall assessment by each subject's primary nurse ranked oral health of as good for 9% of subjects, as moderate for 44%, and as poor for 47%. Clinical examination-based assessment ranked oral health as good for 19%, as moderate for 33%, and as poor for 48% of our subjects, with good oral health being ranked as good for more men than women (26% vs. 16%; p = 0.045). Fewer limitations were recorded for those with better oral health assessed both by primary nurse and by clinical examination. CONCLUSION: More efforts are called for to maintain the oral health of the long-term hospitalised elderly so as to improve their well-being.