Home based Oral Health Care Strategies in Elderly Medically Compromised Patients- A Comparative Research

Abstract

Aim

This trial studied the consequences of interventions on the oral cleanliness of the long-term home based elderly.

Methodology

This is a longitudinal study with interventions. After a baseline clinical examination, the patient wards were divided into three groups (A, B and C) and therefore the sort of intervention was randomly assigned. In group A, dental hygienists executed oral hygiene procedures for the subjects once every 3 weeks. In group B, the nursing staff first acknowledged hands-on instructions after which they undertook the charge in case for the subjects’ daily oral hygiene. Group C served as a control. Denture hygiene and dental hygiene were recorded at baseline and in the end of 1-year study period. In total, 30 subjects completed the interventions; their mean age was 69.9 years.

Results

The finest result in both denture and dental hygiene was reported when nursing staff at the wards took care of hygiene (group B).The increase in the proportion of those with good denture hygiene was the most prominent in group B (from 11% to 56%). The proportion of subjects with poor overall dental hygiene decreased from 61% at baseline to 57% in the end, for group B from 80% to 48%.

Conclusion

Methodical dental as well as oral care knowledge is essential in case of the nursing staff as they can effectively take of these elderly individuals better with personal attention.