Factors associated with older adults' need for oral hygiene management by dental professionals.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to assess the need for oral hygiene management by dental professionals among older adults requiring long-term care, and to collect basic data for building a dental treatment framework on a regional level. Although healthcare providers are aware of the importance of oral care for older adults requiring long-term care, reports claim that the provision of oral care is insufficient, and a framework is being built for the provision of oral hygiene management by dental professionals.


METHODS
A survey on lifestyle and oral health was carried out on 372 older adults requiring long-term care in one town in Japan. Binomial logistic regression analysis was carried out to assess factors affecting the need for oral hygiene management.


RESULTS
A total of 66.1% of participants required oral hygiene management. The Barthel Index, Clinical Dementia Rating, oral hygiene status and other factors differed significantly with the presence or absence of oral hygiene management need. In addition to variables related to oral hygiene status (dental plaque and tongue coating), factors that significantly affected oral hygiene management need included the Clinical Dementia Rating (odds ratio 2.63, 95% confidence interval 1.08-6.41).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study suggest that the need for oral hygiene management by dental professionals increases as dementia advances. However, current systems that provide regional dental care are structured based on the level of care need and the degree of independence. A dementia perspective needs to be added to these systems. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 956-962.
Department of Oral Diseases Research, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.
Shiho
S
Morishita
Department of Oral Diseases Research, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.
Yutaka
Y
Watanabe
Department of Oral Health Education, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
Yuki
Y
Ohara
Research Team for Promoting Independence of the Elderly, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
Ayako
A
Edahiro
Department of Oral Medicine and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan.
Emiko
E
Sato
Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Tsurumi University School of Dental Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
Takeo
T
Suga
Research Team for Promoting Independence of the Elderly, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
Hirohiko
H
Hirano
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications*; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors
dementia; long-term care; oral care; oral hygiene