Background As the general population of Japan ages, the population of hospitalized psychiatric patients is also ageing. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) with age and oral health, including oral and swallowing function, among psychiatric inpatients. Methods The subjects included 165 psychiatric inpatients in psychiatric hospitals in Japan. The General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) were included in the questionnaire survey for the measurement of OHRQoL and the screening of dysphagia. A score ≥ 3 on the EAT-10 was defined as suspected dysphagia. Oral examinations and oral diadochokinesis (ODK) measurements for the tongue-lip motor function evaluation were conducted. The inpatients with acute psychiatric symptoms, moderate and severe dementia, and cognitive impairment that affected their ability to communicate and relate their feelings were excluded. A chi-squared test, the Mann–Whitney U test, and linear regression analysis were used for the analysis. The data were analysed at the 5% significance level. Results A total of 100 (64.5%) psychiatric inpatients (mean age, 67.3 [SD, 14.5] years, 49% males, and 51% females) participated in this study. The means ± SDs for the decayed missing filled teeth (DMFT) index and GOHAI score were 20.6 ± 6 and 49.7 ± 7.9, respectively. The GOHAI score in the older age group (≥ 65 years) was significantly lower than that in the younger age group (< 65 years). The mean ODK scores were less than 3 times/s for all syllables. The percentage of the participants with suspected dysphagia was 45.0%. Tooth loss and suspected dysphagia were significantly associated with low GOHAI scores. The EAT-10 score was significantly correlated with the GOHAI score only after adjusting for age and sex (β = − 0.725, 95% CI − 0.97, − 0.64). Conclusions In hospitalized psychiatric patients, impaired oral health in the older subjects was more pronounced compared with that among general adults. Tooth loss and swallowing function were associated with OHRQoL. Therefore, oral care for the recovery of occlusal and swallowing functions may be needed to improve OHRQoL among psychiatric patients.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to clarify the current state of collaboration between psychiatric nurses and dentists with regard to oral health care. Methods: This study targeted psychiatric nurses for an exploratory descriptive assessment (questionnaire survey) concerning collaboration with dentists in oral health care. Results: Valid response data from 186 individuals was analysed. While approximately 85% of psychiatric nurses had issues collaborating with dentists in the oral health care field, it was revealed that approximately 35% did not collaborate with dentists at all. Psychiatric nurses with a long history of work in the nursing field exhibited a tendency to collaborate with dentists, while those with low Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (QOL) tended to collaborate with dentists. Psychiatric nurses who did collaborate with dentists tended to believe that functional oral health was sufficient. Highly-skilled psychiatric nurses, who were more likely to collaborate with dentists, exhibited difficulties when attempting such collaboration. Psychiatric nurses who strongly believed in the importance of oral care also experienced difficulties in collaborating with dentists. Conclusion: In this study, it became clear that while there are problems concerning collaboration among dentists in oral health care, psychiatric nurses who are unable to collaborate also exist. These results suggested a need for measures to encourage collaboration with dentists.

The purpose of this study is to organize knowledge from the domestic literature for the effective oral health care of the elderly with dementia, and to get the suggestion about the actual state of the care that nurses are practicing and the forthcoming research problems in consideration of it.Methods: A literature search was conducted in two databases, the Japan Medical Abstract Society (JAMAS) and JDream III, using the keywords "Dementia" and "Oral Health Care". As a result of the search, we included 22 original papers for analysis.Results: There were 15 papers about structural oral health care and 7 papers about functional oral health care. The result of the content analysis classified: "Problems of structural oral health care practice", "Ingenuity of the oral health care by nurses", "Ingenuity of the oral health care by other professionals" and "Ingenuity of the oral health care by multiple professionals". Conclusion:In the actual state of oral health care for the elderly with dementia by the result of this study, it was suggested that the following attempts are forthcoming research problems: the education of nurses to improve knowledge and a technique about the oral health care of elderly with dementia, the environmental establishment for multiple professionals cooperation always available in oral health care practice, and the acquisition of ability of nurses to coordinate it.