| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
TAKEI Noriko LION Dental Health Institution, Researcher, 教育研究部, 研究員
TAKENAKA Shoji Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Assistant, 大学院・医歯学総合研究科, 助手 (50313549)
ISHIZAKI Hiroko Dental Hospital Assistant, 歯学部附属病院, 助手 (60303161)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥12,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥12,200,000)
Fiscal Year 2002: ¥1,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000)
Fiscal Year 2001: ¥900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000)
Fiscal Year 2000: ¥9,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥9,800,000)
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| Research Abstract |
In recent years, the influences of oral Microbes on various systemic diseases have been clarified, suggesting the importance of oral health care. In dependent elderly people, since the use of conventional tooth brushes has the risk of aspiration, cleaning with gauze is generally performed, but its effects are inadequate. At present, under the introduced care insurance system, it is urgently needed to develop effective oral health care methods that can be safely and readily performed by daily care providers. However, the degree of independence and the oral condition in the elderly markedly differ from those in younger adults, and therefore, effective oral health care methods according to these states should be established.
We classified oral health care according to the degree of independence (independent, partially dependent, totally dependent) and the oral condition (number of present teeth and with or without denture) into 9 categories and produced a categorical table of oral health care needs for the elderly. Order-made oral health care methods according to each category were developed, and their effects have been evaluated mainly by microbiological methods.
For safe and effective oral health care in the dependent elderly even by care providers other than dental staff, we developed an electrical oral brush combined with automatic liquid supply/suction system (Dent. ERAC910, LION DENTAL PRODUCTS). In this study, this brush system was applied to the dentate dependent elderly by dental hygienists and nurses, and its effects were evaluated based on changes in anaerobe counts in gargling water. Oral microbes markedly decreased after the use of this brush system by dental hygienists and nurses. No symptoms suggesting aspiration were observed in oral health care practice.
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