Geriatric oral health issues in Germany.
A review of the oral health issues for the elderly in Germany is presented. The percentage of aged and very old people in the total population of Germany is increasing rapidly, as is the percentage of the dentate population due to the high standard of dental care. The percentage of the edentulous population has therefore decreased. It has become necessary for all who care for the elderly, to adjust to caring for the dentate patient and to begin to work together and communicate about the patient's needs. Physicians in particular need to be given training in the detection of caries, periodontal diseases and denture problems. They should feel comfortable working with the dentist and dental team as partners in rehabilitation treatment. The dental treatment needs of the German population aged 70 years and older are not yet adequately met although the social insurance of the elderly includes dental treatment. Provision of oral health care for the dependent elderly, especially those who are homebound or in nursing homes, is not effectively organised and has to be completely reconsidered. The social health insurance and the social long-term care insurance must adjust their insurance coverage to the dental needs of the frail elderly. The development and further improvement of age-adjusted dental care is of crucial importance with respect to future demographic changes.
Nitschke
I
I
Department of Prosthodontics, Dental Materials, Geriatric Dentistry and Special Care Dentistry, University of Leipzig, Germany. ina.nitschke@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D016321:Dental Care for Aged; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000145:classification; D003815:Dentists; D003778:Dentures; D016330:Frail Elderly; D005850:Geriatric Dentistry; D005858:Germany; D018577:Homebound Persons; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D007347:Insurance, Dental; D007348:Insurance, Health; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008134:Long-Term Care; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000145:classification; D010820:Physicians; D011157:Population Dynamics