Dental status of geriatric patients with disorder of cognitive functions and their medical and social characteristics

Abstract

Aim: analysis of medical and social characteristics and assessment of the dental status of geriatric patients with cognitive impairment.Materials and methods. The study was carried out at the Department of Therapeutic Dentistry. We analyzed the responses and laboratory results of 43 patients aged 60–92 years. The main methods used in the study were: questioning (Fox test), sialometry, saliva pH determination, microbiological analysis (of the upper respiratory tract) for fungal microflora.Results obtained showed that an objective study of the secretory function of the salivary glands according to the method of M.M. Pozharitskaya found that the average rate was 0.2 ± 0.004 ml/min, and the average saliva pH was 5.7 ± 0.04. The medical and social portrait of a geriatric patient indicates that mainly patients with impaired cognitive functions seeking dental treatment and prophylaxis were women, whose average age was 76.03 ± 2.8 years, as a rule, they were representatives of the humanitarian and natural-scientific professions, 75% are married. According to the results of the Fox test, it was found that 60% of patients complained of dry mouth of a different nature. The perception of dry mouth was statistically significantly dependent on gender (P = 0.025) and the presence of chronic diseases (P = 0.004). Women (OR = 1.17, P = 0.026) with chronic diseases (OR = 2.97, P = 0.002) were more likely to suffer from dry mouth.