Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to assess dental status of inpatients with internal medicines in Kumamoto City Hospital to improve their oral condition and prevent following complications. Although the study population comprised 119 patients in initial stage, oral examination was not provided to 20 patients because of several reasons.
The results were as follows:
1. There were 27patients who had unconsciousness. Approximately 40% of the patients were in medically compromised conditions.
2. There were 18 patients who had already lost their teeth from their dentitions. Half of the examinees had some types of dentures. The number of the patients who had oral candidiasis and bad odor was 14, 47 respectively.
3. The number of the patients who could not clean their own oral cavities was 32, and only 30 patients had good oral hygiene.
4. There were 25, 13 patients respectively who needed oral health care by nurses and dental personnel.
Through this investigation, it was found that many patients with internal medicines in a hospital had several oral problems. They have to receive more adequate oral health care in an individually designed program by dental personnel.
