Clinical Study of Oral Mucosal Lesions in the Elderly—Prevalence and Distribution

Abstract

Background: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence, pattern, and distribution of oral mucosa lesions in elderly patients attending an outpatient oral pathology clinic. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 2747 patients’ medical files was performed. Of these, 1398 (50.6%) belonged to seniors. The mean age was 69.8 ± 7.1, and women were in the majority. Results: Among the entire group of patients, the three most common mucosal lesions were: oral lichenoid diseases (OLDs), lingual changes, and small nodules. In the female group, the most common diagnoses were: OLDs, lingual changes, and oral candidiasis; in the male population, the most common diagnoses were: lingual changes, small nodules, and OLDs. Those suffering from OLDs were the youngest patients, and those with focal oral mucosa erosions and ulcerations were the oldest patients. In the groups aged 60–70 and 71–80 years old, the most common diagnoses were OLDs, and in the oldest group (+80 years old), they were lingual lesions. Conclusions: Oral health has an obvious impact on the functional, psychological, and behavioral quality of life. There is a small number of publications concerning the prevalence and distribution of oral mucosa lesions in the senior population of European countries. Our study is filling in that void.

Clinical atrophy patterns of filiform papillae of the tongue and their relationship with the serum levels of iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid in patients with systemic diseases

“…The association between systemic conditions and oral health has been well recognized and described 35 . Changes in mouth mucosa can be a manifestation of different disorders such as diabetes, skin diseases, immunological deficiencies, blood disorders, allergic/toxic reactions, gastric diseases, and vitamins/mineral deficiencies 36 …”

“…The oral health status in geriatric subjects is generally deficient; this has been attributed to many factors such as polypharmacy, especially with the use of antihypertensives, antidepressants, and antipsychotics. Lingual mucosa lesions are frequent in this population, being focal erosions and ulcerations the most common findings 36 . The studied subjects in our research were mainly female between the 6th and 7th decades of life who attended an adult third‐level care center for complex diseases, this population is usually under polypharmacy 37 .…”

“…35 Changes in mouth mucosa can be a manifestation of different disorders such as diabetes, skin diseases, immunological deficiencies, blood disorders, allergic/toxic reactions, gastric diseases, and vitamins/ mineral deficiencies. 36 The oral health status in geriatric subjects is generally deficient; this has been attributed to many factors such as polypharmacy, especially with the use of antihypertensives, antidepressants, and antipsychotics. Lingual mucosa lesions are frequent in this population, being focal erosions and ulcerations the most common findings.…”

“…Lingual mucosa lesions are frequent in this population, being focal erosions and ulcerations the most common findings. 36 The studied subjects in our research were mainly female between the 6th and 7th decades of life who attended an adult third-level care center for complex diseases, this population is usually under polypharmacy. 37 For the above reasons, we speculate that our study population was susceptible to develop oral mucosa lesions, and it may explain the high prevalence of FP atrophy observed in this study.…”

Dental Prosthetic Rehabilitation Interventions in Elderly Patients Hospitalized in the Nursing Homes of the Lombardy Region: A Retrospective Study

“…The deterioration of cognitive functions, behavioral disturbances, and inadequate nursing and parasanitary training contribute to poor oral health in elderly people with dementia [ 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Studies show that frail people having fewer teeth are associated with a lack of nutritional supply and that dental status could play a role in musculoskeletal frailty [ 6 , 21 ] and cognitive impairment [ 22 ]; additionally, the presence of lesions of the oral mucosa could interfere with the nutrition of elderly patients [ 6 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. The first alarm bell is the lack of energy that the elderly manifest during the day and that social health workers notice and report to the doctor in order to act preventively/promptly on potentially reversible causes [ 26 , 27 ].…”