Oral Health in a Cognitive and Behavioral Unit

Abstract

care project, ethical aspect. The professionals have skills and specific training. A structured and adapted program of activities is suggested in an objective limiting the expression of the behavior disorders and if possible to decrease the use of the sedative psychotropic and the setting. At the same time, the objectives in units of following and readaptation care are maintained. Nonmedical practices are proposed to these patients: psychomotricity, ergo therapy, orthophony, art-therapy… [8][9][10][11].The general clinical context is taken into account because symptoms associated as pains, discomfort, under nutrition, dehydration; infections can deteriorate behavioral disorders in dementia. Although they can affect the quality of life of elderly with dementia, the oral health is often neglected and the oral care is considered complicated. Indeed, the behavior disorders (agitation, aggression), the lack of cooperation even the opposition, the loss of autonomy, the disturbance of the physical marks are so many brakes in the access to healthcare dental [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25].The Pole Geriatrics-Gerontology of the Toulouse University Hospital became aware of this fact and the oral health is a part of the global care of the hospitalized patients. ObjectiveThe main objective was to observe oral status of patients affected by Alzheimer's diseases and dementia (ADD) with intrusive behavior disorders. The secondary objective is to propose an adapted oral care. MethodsA cross-sectional study of the oral status was made by a clinical observation and a data collection on group of patients hospitalized in the CBU of Toulouse (Gérontopôle -Toulouse University Hospital). 138 patients were able to be examined.Considering the cognitive diseases, the consent was not able to be collected. The general, geriatric data were raised on computerized medical record. The oral status is systematically realized within the framework of a global health check-up.