A home-visit survey study to grasp the oral hygiene and oral function of older people living with dementia in the community.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K10438
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57080:Social dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: Edahiro Ayako 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究員 (90433945)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 社会歯科学 / 認知症高齢者 / 歯科医療 / 口腔保健 / 在宅訪問 / 受療困難 / 合理的配慮

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To grasp the status of oral health of community-dwelling older people with cognitive decline, it is necessary for dental professionals to visit them to conduct home-visit surveys. In this study, we conducted a visiting survey by dental professionals to elderly people with cognitive decline and reduced frequency of going out. We found that elderly people living in the community with more cognitive decline had more (1) lower oral function, (2) larger periodontal inflammation area, and (3) poorer oral health and did not receive reasonable accommodation for dental treatment. The study revealed that the potential need for dental treatment was higher in those who did not receive reasonable accommodation for dental access. The results are published under the title " Severity of Dementia is Associated with Increased Periodontal Inflamed Surface Area: Home Visit Survey of People with Cognitive Decline Living in the Community.” More active visiting dental check-ups are desirable.

Free Research Field

高齢者歯科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

地域包括ケアシステムの推進の中で、認知症とともに生きる高齢者も地域生活を継続するケースが増えている。しかしながら、そういった者の中には、社会的支援や生活支援の担い手が十分ではない者や社会的に孤立している者で、口腔の病態の自覚や問題解決行動が困難になった者がいる。本研究のような訪問調査によってのみ、生活実態や口腔の実態が明らかになるが、訪問歯科健診は未だ一般的ではない。口腔の健康の喪失で低栄養や健康障害が生じることは既知の事実であるが、歯科健診機会のないものに対しては歯科口腔保健法にも記載されるような訪問歯科健診などによる積極的な把握を行い受療への合理的配慮が受けられるようにする必要がある。