Objectives: To determine the impact of general and oral health status of nursing home residents in Germany on efficacy and acceptance of professional dental cleaning performed by a dental nurse.
Materials and methods: Participants (N = 41; mean age 83 ± 8 years) living in a nursing home were included. Personal and general health, oral health, oral hygiene habits, and needs were investigated. Individual acceptance regarding professional dental cleaning via different devices (scaler, interdental brushes, ultrasonic cleaning) was assessed, as was the efficacy of this method using after-cleaning indices.
Results: Oral health among nursing home residents was impaired and independent from dementia status. Most residents (33/41) performed oral hygiene procedures independently and showed better index values than those in need of external help. Residents requiring help with oral hygiene showed increased risk profiles (higher age, more often immobile, demented, more xerostomia). The dental cleaning procedure required a mean time of 37 ± 11 min, was widely accepted (36/41), and achieved clean results (plaque index 0.1 ± 0.5, oral hygiene index 0.2 ± 1.6, Volpe-Manhold index 0.4 ± 1.6); food residues were reduced to 0 independent from cognitive status. Regarding the cleaning methods, scalers were accepted best without difference between demented and non-demented residents.
Conclusions: Professional dental cleaning in nursing homes is an accepted and efficacious oral hygiene procedure among nursing home residents.
Clinical relevance: Professional dental cleaning is an efficacious and accepted method as a first step in line with strategies to improve oral health and should be considered in nursing home residents.
Keywords: Dentistry nursing; Gerodontology; Nursing home; Oral hygiene.