title: Caregivers' attitudes regarding oral health in a long-term care institution in Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The number of elderly living in long-term care (LTC) institutions has been increasing in many countries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the caregivers' attitudes and considerations regarding oral health and oral health practices in an LTC institution in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  The population comprised the caregivers (n = 27) at an LTC in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Participants answered a questionnaire assessing the time of work at the LTC, number of elderly under their responsibility, their previous training to perform general and oral healthcare, availability of oral hygiene supplies and oral hygiene tasks they performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of eighteen (75%) and 23 (95.8%) of the caregivers answered they performed teeth and denture brushing as part of their routine. When asked about performing hygiene of the mucosa with gauze, 21 (87.5%) participants stated that they did so. However, when asked if they would motivate the independent elderly to perform oral hygiene, only 10 (41.7%) of the caregivers responded positively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Caregivers' oral health practices are in accordance with good oral health methods and are not associated with difficulties in performing oral hygiene. However, the high number of elderly people in their care could possibly overwhelm caregivers' practices. Future qualitative assessment of these issues is needed.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Junges
authors.forename: Fernando Freitas
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Portella
authors.forename: Fernando Neves
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Hugo
authors.forename: Dalva Maria Pereira
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Padilha
authors.forename: Susana Maria Werner
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Samuel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001938:Brazil; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003742:Dental Devices, Home Care; D003778:Dentures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000379:methods; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012112:Residential Facilities; D012648:Self Care; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000295:instrumentation; D014100:Toothpastes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014100:Toothpastes
keywords: caregivers; dental care for aged; elderly; oral health