title: Prevalence of oral health-related conditions that could trigger accidents for patients with moderate-to-severe dementia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was performed to determine the prevalence of oral health conditions unnoticed by doctors and ward staff that may increase risk of incidents and/or accidents in hospitalised patients with moderate-severe dementia.
  Dementia patients may not recognise risks in the mouth, such as tooth mobility or ill-fitting dental prostheses and/or dentures. In addition to the risk of choking, injury by sharp edges of collapsed teeth or prosthodontics could pose risks. However, many previous publications were limited to case reports or series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-two consecutive hospitalised dementia patients (M: 52, F: 40, median age: 82.5 years, range: 62-99 years, from 2011 to 2014), referred for dentistry for dysphagia rehabilitation, were enrolled in this study. Participants referred for dental treatment with dental problems detected by ward staff were excluded. All participants had a Global Clinical Dementia Rating Score >2. Their dental records were evaluated retrospectively for issues that may cause incidents and/or accidents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Problems in the mouth, for example tooth stumps, dental caries, and ill-fitting dentures, were detected in 51.1% of participants (47/92). Furthermore, 23.9% (22/92) showed risk factors that could lead to incidents and/or accidents, for example falling out of teeth and/or prosthodontics or injury by sharp edges of teeth and/or prosthodontics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hospitalised moderate-severe dementia patients had a high prevalence of oral health conditions unnoticed by doctors and ward staff that may increase risk of incidents and/or accidents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Mannari Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Mannari Hospital, Okayama, Japan.|Division of Hospital Dentistry, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Soga
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Mannari Hospital, Okayama, Japan.|Center of Special Needs Dentistry, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maekawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Mannari Hospital, Okayama, Japan.|Center of Special Needs Dentistry, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kanda
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Mannari Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Eiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Mannari Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Mannari Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanao
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Mannari Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Himuro
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Mannari Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: dementia; hospital care; mouth; risk management