Predicting Concerns for the Mouth among Institutionalized Elders

Abstract

There is a widespread belief that old people do not have healthy mouths, although the reason for this neglect is not clear. A random sample of 41 long-term care facilities in Vancouver was selected--653 residents were examined and about three-quarters of them were interviewed--to find associations between variables that might influence a concern for oral health and to assess the effectiveness of multivariate models for predicting this concern. A bivariate analysis of the data, using chi-square tests, assessed any significant associations between the variables, and three classification techniques--discriminant analysis, logistic regression, and CART (classification and regression trees)--were used to assess the usefulness of the multivariate models. Complaints of oral problems were heard from half (53%) of the sample. Most (85%) of the participants expressed a desire for treatment, while fewer than half (44%) of the participants had used a dental service since entering the facility or in the previous year. The complaints were associated significantly with the subjects who had been to a dentist recently, with those dissatisfied with the cost or quality of previous treatment, and with women. The desire for treatment was associated significantly with the recent use of dental services, and with a lack of concern for the cost of dental treatment, while the use of services was associated significantly with subjects who were younger, dentate, or from the higher socioeconomic groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The impact of oral health on body image and social interactions among elders in long‐term care

“…28,29 There is no doubt that social interactions can be disturbed by mouth-problems, especially when the problems disturb personal appearance. 30,32 Others have suggested that this occurs when people feel that the impairments (missing teeth; loose teeth or dentures etc.) 30,32 Others have suggested that this occurs when people feel that the impairments (missing teeth; loose teeth or dentures etc.)…”

Oral health problems and needs of nursing home residents

“…This may be a continuation of lifelong habits among previous cohorts who sought dental care only for emergencies and when oral pain became unbearable (9). A survey of elderly in 41 long care facilities in Vancouver revealed that utilization of dental services by this population was significantly associated with younger age, having some natural teeth, and a higher socioeconomic status (10). Given that the average age ofnursing home residents in the United States is 82, and that the majority have spent down their financial resources to become eligible for Medicaid, it may be assumed that most of the current cohort of institutionalized elderly are not ready to demand professional dental services or even daily oral hygiene maintenance.…”

Opinions of Dentists on the Treatment of Elderly Patients in Long‐term Care Facilities

“…Furthermore, the dental status of elders has changed from a predominance of complete dentures to natural teeth, within the last two decades. Already over two-thirds of the elderly residents in Vancouver's LTC facilities have some natural teeth (7).…”

“…At present approximately 5 percent of the population over 65 years in most Western countries are disabled to the point that they must live within the confines of a long-term care (LTC) facility. Numerous reports indicate that this population makes infrequent use of dental services (1-6), and it seems reasonably clear that this is due in large part to the difficulty of attending a dentist (7).…”