You have been put in charge of a dental team providing dental care to Essay

You have been put in charge of a dental team providing dental care to a large (100 bed) nursing home facility. Discuss the likely dental health needs of the res - Essay Example at dental care does not reach the elderly, particularly if they are residing in health-care institutions or nursing homes, where the care-takers may not give due importance to dental care.(Fiske J). This has resulted in more demand on dental care by such institutionalized elders. Several studies conducted in this direction, reveal that more than 65% of such patients require oral hygiene medication and treatment. (Mersel & others, 2000). Such patients are reported to be having prominent bone loss, with deep pockets around remaining teeth, while 85% are reported to have attachment loss, ranging from 4 to 6 mm. (Friel) The profile of people staying in a nursing home would vary drastically, ranging from those who can maintain themselves, physically and mentally; to those who are completely dependant on care-takers. The general consensus is that elderly people living in a nursing home suffer more from periodontal diseases, as compared to those living in their homes. There is lesser evidence of institutionalized elders seeing a dentist, as studies suggest that such percentage is significantly lower, when compared to national average. Various problems that such patients confront include poor oral care, older dentures, while many have old or damaged prostheses. In addition, according to such studies, presence of significant denture plaque was recorded, while 1 in 6 patients suffered from denture related stomatitis. Accordingly, the need was felt for concentrated prosthetic treatment for patients staying in a care home in Wolverhampton, particularly for those elders who had loose fitted or lost dentures .(Awath-Behar, 1990) While inadequate dental care may not be fatal, the affect of same results in such elderly patients being uncomfortable while eating food, with others. In addition, the quality of life depends on the number of healthy teeth, as indicators for same include the ability to choose one’s food and socialize, without any feeling of pain. The loss of teeth