Abstract
The study was to perform cost-effectiveness analysis of the oral health care for depended elderly.
The literature was reviewed to evaluate effectiveness of the oral health care for the elderly. Then, the cost of treating in-patients for aspiration pneumonia was estimated from the viewpoint of costbenefit analysis. Local effects of the oral care were reduction of bacterial flora in the oropharynx, mouth odor and gingivitis.
Systemic effects were reducing ratio of suffering fever, aspiration pneumonia and mortality. The cost-effectiveness of the oral care was 0.82 comparing cost for patients of aspiration pneumonia.
The oral health care was proved to be cost-effective with its local and systemic effects.
