title: Effects of professional oral health care on elderly: randomized trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To better understand the role of the professional oral health care for elderly in improving geriatric oral health, the effects of short-term professional oral health care (once per week for 1 month) on oral microbiological parameters were assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parallel, open-labelled, randomize-controlled trial was undertaken in a nursing home for elderly in Shizuoka, Japan. Thirty-four dentate elderly over 74 years were randomly assigned from ID number to the intervention (17/34) and control (17/34) groups. The outcomes were changes in oral microbiological parameters (number of bacteria in unstimulated saliva; whole bacteria, Streptococcus, Fusobacterium and Prevotella: opportunistic pathogens detection: and index of oral hygiene evaluation [Dental Plaque Index, DPI]) within the intervention period. Each parameter was evaluated at before and after intervention period. Four elderly were lost from mortality (1), bone fracture (1), refused to participate (1) and multi-antibiotics usage (1). Finally, 30 elderly were analysed (14/intervention and 16/control).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, no difference was found between the control and intervention groups. After the intervention period, the percentage of Streptococcus species increased significantly in the intervention group (Intervention, 86% [12/14]; Control, 50% [8/16]: Fisher's, right-tailed, P < 0.05). Moreover, DPI significantly improved in the intervention group (Intervention, 57% [8/14]; Control, 13% [2/16]: Fisher's, two-tailed, P < 0.05). The improvement in DPI extended for 3 months after intervention. None of side effects were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The short-term professional oral health care can improve oral conditions in the elderly.
authors: University of Shizuoka, Junior College, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Morino
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Ookawa
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Haruta
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Hagiwara
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Seki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D058491:Bacterial Load; D016321:Dental Care for Aged; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D003820:Denture Cleansers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005673:Fusobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology; D009909:Oral Health; D018720:Prevotella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003820:Denture Cleansers
keywords: elderly; professional oral health care; randomized trial