Oral status of older adults receiving home medical care: A cross-sectional study.

Aim: This study examined the oral status and the presence of teeth requiring treatment among older adults receiving home medical care.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a Japanese dental clinic specializing in geriatric treatment. We recruited older adults receiving home medical care in the community who had begun to receive domiciliary dental care. The Japanese version of the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT-J), as well as the presence of teeth requiring extraction and the need for assistance in maintaining oral hygiene were used to evaluate the participants' oral health and its association with other items.
Results: Ninety-three participants (44 male and 49 female, median age: 87.0 years) were surveyed. The median OHAT-J score was 6. The duration since the previous dental visit was 23 months. Sixty-two (73.8%) of 84 participants with ≥1 natural tooth had severe caries or teeth with severe mobility that required extraction. Logistic analysis revealed that requiring assistance in maintaining oral hygiene, mild dementia, severe dementia, and depression were significantly associated with an OHAT score of ≥6.
Conclusions: Older adults receiving home medical care had poor oral health, with approximately 70% of them requiring tooth extraction. The need for assistance in maintaining oral hygiene and poor mental status contribute to poor oral health. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 706-714.
(© 2024 Japan Geriatrics Society.)