Psychological and social factors in the dental care of the elderly.
With age there are major changes in social status, in sensory perception and in motor and cognitive functions. These and attitudinal barriers among elderly patients and practitioners have a role in determining patients' oral health status. Dentists must understand the psychological and social changes which occur with ageing and must apply this understanding to the relationship between psychological status and the motivation to maintain oral health, general health and nutrition. Services may then be designed to fit the oral needs of the aged patient, not just his or her financial situation. Dental providers must recognize differences between the prognosis for similar oral disease in elderly patients and in younger patients, and provide appropriate care. Differences in lifestyle, dental awareness, sensory-perceptual and physiological functioning must be recognized. Dentists should play a critical role in providing each member of the growing population of elderly with a healthy and satisfying life in the later years. The dentist should become a resource for improving the quality of life among older persons, improving their oral health and thereby conferring physical, social and psychological benefits. Through concerted efforts to educate both dental providers and elderly patients, we may eventually realize these goals.
D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003071:Cognition; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012923:Social Class