The oral condition of elderly institutionalized males

Abstract

A survey was carried out in the summer of 1966 of the oral condition of all male patients over 60 years old, at Saint Vincent de Paul Hospital Malta, a government geriatric institution. All the patients were examined with regards to the number and condition of the teeth, the presence of calculus and periodontal disease, and the degree of dental attrition. A questionnaire was completed on the drinking and smoking habits, masticatory ability, dry feeling of oral mucosa and subjective evaluation of dentures, when present. Further related subjects discussed following this survey are leukoplakia, pigmentation and other lesions. The geriatric patient tends to respond to noxious stimuli in an atrophic rather than in a productive manner so that dental and oral symptoms of disease are not prominent. This was evident in this survey and very few of the patients had any specific oral complaints. The dental surgeon has an important role in the health team looking after geriatric patients and should keep his patients under constant surveillance rather than wait for specific complaints.