Zest for eating and preemptive medicine in the elderly

Abstract

In prosthetic dentistry, the concept of prevention of aggravation and preemptive medicine is important, and preventive managements depending on the condition of each patient are required so as not to cause a high-risk oral condition that makes the prosthodontic treatment difficult. We need clinical indicators that allow prosthodontists to predict such risks, and at the same time, it is also important to set clinical indicators that make general medical staffs and patients themselves realize the situation.

In our prosthodontic field, we should understand that “zest for eating” is a total ability, considering not only oral factors but also eating behavior and eating habit factors, as well as environmental factors and individual factors. Ultimately, clinical indicators of “zest for eating” and final outcomes in the patients need to be established and made known to the public and healthcare professionals.