Oral hygiene and mouth care for older people in acute hospitals: part 2

Abstract

Acute hospital admission provides an excellent opportunity to address poor oral health in older people, a group rarely seen by dental professionals and for who oral health activity in hospital is inconsistent and generally suboptimal. This two-part article explores oral hygiene and mouth care provision for older adults in acute hospitals. The first article presented the findings of a literature review exploring oral and dental disease in older adults, the importance of good oral health and mouth care, and the current situation. The second article explores clinical recommendations. A change in philosophy is needed to embed oral care as an essential component of holistic practice. More research is needed to determine the best ways to assess and treat oro-dental problems in older people, and promote and restore their oral health in hospitals. Great potential exists to innovate and develop new ways of providing care to this group.

‘Why doesn't anyone ask me’? Patients' experiences of receiving, performing and practices of oral care in an acute Orthopaedic Department

“…The patients in this study were aware of the low priority of oral care as they noted that oral care was not a part of the conversations. Several studies support our findings that oral care holds low priority and status in nursing practice and is perceived as optional [9, 29–34]. Within the FoC framework, the nurse–patient dialogue is essential for establishing a trustworthy relationship with the patient to identify needs and provide quality care [35].…”