03 May Why Oral Care Matters for Older Adults
By Dr. Linda Shell, RN, MA
As a nurse with over 25 years’ experience in long term care one of my concerns has been the lack of education, training and overall focus on the care of older adults in regards to effective, timely oral care.
Research indicates that infection and bacterial growth in the mouth directly impacts the occurrence of pneumonia, stroke, and heart disease in older adults. Older adults with dementia may exhibit signs of dental problems through increased anxiety, decreased appetite, or worsening behavioural reactions. This is a substantial issue that we as healthcare professionals can and must address.
Poor dental hygiene and care can negatively impact a senior’s overall health. Gum disease significantly increases with age and by age 65 over 40% of seniors will experience some type of gum disease. Oral cancer rates also increase by a factor of 7 in people over age 65 than those under age 65, with tooth loss making eating difficult and at times painful impacting overall nutrition. Lastly, medications can often create dry mouth due to a lack of saliva, which can cause difficulty in chewing, speaking and swallowing. This can also increase the occurrence of cavities and potential extraction of teeth.
With the exploding senior population requiring effective oral care, the ability to identify problems and determine risk factors, has never been more important. It is therefore very important that all provider organizations implement effective oral care processes that focus on improving quality of life, quality of care, reducing infection and bacterial growth, reducing dental costs, and identifying the warning signs of poor oral health before intrusive care.
Effective education could start with in-service sessions that empower provider teams to:
- Describe health risks associated with inadequate oral care such as pneumonia, stroke, heart disease, dementia, oral cancer, weight loss, poor appetite, and behaviors.
- Explain the importance of individualized oral care and its impact on health, longevity, and well-being.
- Identify specific actions steps for improving dental care through brushing, flossing, xylitol based products, and a comprehensive oral care regimen.
When I’m asked “why oral care in older adults makes sense?” my response is “based on the information available, and potential impact, why doesn’t it make sense?” Effective oral care is an innovative tool that has the potential to transform the quality of life for most, if not all older adults.
About Linda
Dr. Linda Shell has worked in the field of aging services for over 25 years serving in the role of staff nurse, educator, director of nursing, and consultant. She speaks locally and nationally on fall prevention, sleep improvement, dementia care and leadership. She also serves as adjunct nursing faculty at Bethel University in St. Paul. Linda is passionate about developing leaders in the field of long term care and improving the quality of life for older adults.