2020 Volume 35 Issue 1 Pages 52-60
Background：Providing oral health education to nursing home caregivers may improve the daily practice of oral care and reduce the risk of pneumonia and other systemic infectious diseases among residents. However, the effects of multidisciplinary oral health intervention, which includes education and professional dental intervention, on long-term oral health status remain uncertain.
Objective：To retrospectively investigate the effectiveness of multidisciplinary oral health management on the oral health status of elderly nursing home residents during a 24-month period.
Materials and Methods：The oral health status data of 42 elderly nursing home residents（mean age：88.5±6.5 years）from September 2016 to August 2018 were retrospectively analyzed according to the Oral Health Assessment Tool（OHAT）. Dental staff first provided oral health education and individual instruction to caregivers. Then, daily oral care by caregivers and weekly professional oral care by dental hygienists were administered for 24 months. The changes in total and individual OHAT scores during the study period were statistically compared.
Results：The median（interquartile range）total OHAT score improved significantly from 3（1-4）at the baseline assessment to 1（0-3）at 12 months, which was maintained at 1（0-2）until 24 months. The individual OHAT item scores for tongue, gums and tissues, dentures, and oral cleanliness were also significantly decreased at 12 and 24 months after the initial assessment.
Conclusion：Oral health status may be improved and sustainably maintained by multidisciplinary oral health management. Combined education for caregivers and regular professional dental intervention appear important to maintain oral health status in elderly nursing home residents.
