Oral Health and Care for Elderly People with Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Dementia is one of the main causes of disability among elderly people. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects elderly people’s ability to perform daily living activities. Alzheimer’s disease is the main subtype of dementia and causes declining memory, reasoning, and communication skills. They also have behavioural and psychological symptoms, such as depression and aggression. It is essential for them to maintain good oral health, as oral health is an important and integral part of their general health. Neglecting oral health allows dental diseases to develop, and these diseases are difficult and costly to treat. However, dental diseases can be treated with ambulatory care rather than hospitalisation and emergency care. Elderly people should establish daily oral hygiene care routines during the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. They should have regular dental examinations and early minimal interventions to prevent the need for extensive and complicated procedures. Maintaining oral health becomes challenging, however, when Alzheimer’s disease progresses to the middle and late stages. Because elderly people might forget or lose interest in keeping their teeth healthy, caretakers and community health workers may need to take over this task. Dentists should provide guidance on the maintenance of oral health, as the techniques used to provide this support vary depending on the elderly people concerned. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of oral health and the importance of oral care for elderly people with Alzheimer’s disease. The paper also discusses appropriate dental interventions and techniques for maintaining good oral health and helping people with Alzheimer’s to enjoy a satisfactory quality of life.

Dental implant displacement complicated by epulis fissuratum and extraoral fistula in a patient with senile dementia of Alzheimer's type

“…Logical contact with such patients is often difficult and sometimes even impossible, which excludes obtaining appropriate communication in the doctor-patient relationship. 2 Self-care is definitely a huge problem for people…”

“…The consequence of these circumstances is an increase in the percentage of patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer's type, as age, usually above 65, is one of the risk factors for its development. 2 Elderly people with dementia often suffer from upper respiratory tract infections and pneumonia, which may be related to poor oral health. 3 Studies have shown that elderly people with dementia generally have poor oral health, including high risk of dental caries and periodontal disease.…”

“…Dementia is one of the main causes of dysfunction in the elderly. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease responsible for the loss of their independent existence 2 . Dementia can be categorized into various subtypes according to brain pathologies.…”

“…Improvements in the standards of quality of life of the world's human population result in the extension of human life expectancy and an aging population. The consequence of these circumstances is an increase in the percentage of patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer's type, as age, usually above 65, is one of the risk factors for its development 2 …”

“…It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease responsible for the loss of their independent existence. 2 Dementia can be categorized into various subtypes according to brain pathologies. The most common subtypes include Alzheimer's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, vascular dementia, and frontotemporal dementia.…”