title: Dementia's impact on pain sensation: a serious clinical dilemma for dental geriatric care givers.
abstract: Dementia's impact on pain sensation is not well understood. Very little research has been done in this area, our clinical knowledge is poor, and there is no published information available to practitioners. This article reviews the current literature and discusses the need for further research. The number of patients with dementia is growing. This patient group will require dental diagnosis and treatment, and cannot be ignored by dentists. A humane approach to treatment must be adopted.
authors.affiliation: St. Mary's of the Lake Hospital, Kingston, Ont.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Lapeer
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003147:Communication Disorders; D003704:Dementia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016321:Dental Care for Aged; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D006801:Humans; D019954:Neurobehavioral Manifestations; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017288:Pain Threshold