Cross-Sectional Survey of Dental Treatment Needs Among Older Adults Receiving Home-Visit Dental Care for Eating-Related Problems in Acute, Convalescent and Community-Based Care Phases.

BACKGROUND

Oral health in older adults is often compromised by age-related changes, such as oral frailty and systemic comorbidities. Consequently, older patients requiring home-visit dental care, mostly due to eating-related problems, may show stage-dependent differences in oral conditions and dental care priorities.

OBJECTIVE

To clarify care phase-specific dental care needs among older patients receiving home-visit dental care.

METHODS

This multicenter cross-sectional study included 356 older patients who received home-visit dental care for eating-related problems at acute-care (n = 119), convalescent-care (n = 144) and community-based care facilities (n = 93) between April 2016 and March 2020. Data collected at the initial visit included demographic and clinical characteristics, number of functional teeth, Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT) score, feeding and swallowing function, nutritional intake method, reasons for referral and dental care judged to be of the highest priority. Differences among care phases were analysed.

RESULTS

Patient age increased significantly with care phase. The number of functional teeth and OHAT scores were most favourable in the convalescent phase. Feeding and swallowing function and nutritional intake improved significantly from the acute to community-based phases. Swallowing rehabilitation and oral hygiene management were the most common reasons for referral and priority interventions in the acute phase; removable prosthetic treatment predominated the convalescent phase, and diverse needs were observed in the community-based phase, where removable prosthetic treatment was most frequently prioritized.

CONCLUSION

Dental care needs and priorities in home-visit dental care vary according to care phase, underscoring the importance of phase-specific dental management among older adults.