An Investigation of the Oral Health Status of the Elderly with Senile Dementia in Southern Institutes

• Main Authors: Pei-Tzu Su, 蘇珮孜
• Other Authors: Shun-Te Huang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2007
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/09064681123488249062

碩士 === 高雄醫學大學 === 口腔衛生科學研究所碩士在職專班 === 96 === Background: Dementia has become an epidemic disease in the 21st century. Research from other countries has show that the oral health condition of those suffering with dementia is usually poor. However, there are fewer studies about oral health of the elderly with senile dementia in Taiwan. By improving the current oral health condition of the elderly with senile dementia, we must get a better understanding of it. Study objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the oral health condition of the elderly with senile dementia, basic demography, the state of chewing / swallowing, diet state in the most recent six months, and oral hygiene habits. Furthermore, to understand the basic oral state, the hygiene habits and the experience of dental visits and the influencing factors of it and the influencing factors of the oral status . Method: Five long-term care institutions were enrolled in this study. Because the reason that the dementia area can gather the dementia population, also the ones whom can be well-cooperated, therefore, choose different institutions that are willing to be cooperative. Information was collected by a questionnaire and oral health examination of three long-term care institutions in the greater Kaohsiung-Pintung area. This research applied questionnaires and oral examinations to collecting data. There were 149 samples in total. After finishing the preliminary investigation, a database was designed using Microsoft Access software. Then, the questionnaire and oral health examination were coded before analyzing them by using the software package SAS8.0 and JMP 5.0. Result: According to the research analysis, the average DMFT index of the elderly with senile dementia was 24.41±8.04, the average caries prevalence was 66.44％, the average number of caries teeth (D) was 3.91±5.32, the average number of missing teeth (M) was 20.44±9.88, the average number of filled teeth (F) was 0.05±0.38, the average number of missing rate was 80.67±25.01. In DMFT, the average of the group aged over 85 years old was the highest, was 25.35±8.21. The most important factor influencing the was DMFT index was that the elderly with senile dementia patients don’t have an oral health examination regularly. They go to the doctor when they have a toothache. This causes more serious oral health problems. Conclusion: The results of this study show that dementia occurs more with the increase of age. Mainly, because of Alzheimer’s Disease, approximately half of the elderly with senile dementia have the problems with swallowing and chewing food because of toothache or an oral health condition that makes them refuse to eat. Difficulty in swallowing because of oral dryness and unable to do oral cleaning by themselves brings about worse oral hygiene. In order to promote oral health for the elderly with senile dementia in the long-term care institutions, the care givers and dental professionals cooperation is necessary to help of the elderly with senile dementia to maintain good oral hygiene.