title: Providing dental care for patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Alzheimer's disease is the most common dementing illness affecting over 4 million Americans. As the population ages, dentists and other health care providers will be faced with the daunting task of managing an increasing number of people with this disease. Currently, there are no definitive medications to treat this disease, although there are a number of recent drugs which may help to alleviate some symptoms. This article reviews the current medical treatment and the dental concerns which face the dentist, patient, and family. Suggestions for dental management are given along with practical recommendations for caregivers.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Dental Services, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of Kentucky College of Dentistry, Lexington 40511, USA.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Wekstein
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017028:Caregivers; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D000077265:Donepezil; D005195:Family Relations; D006801:Humans; D007189:Indans / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010880:Piperidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D013619:Tacrine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D007189:Indans; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D013619:Tacrine; D000077265:Donepezil