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Review
. 2022 Feb 28;12(3):372.
doi: 10.3390/jpm12030372.

Oral Health among Elderly, Impact on Life Quality, Access of Elderly Patients to Oral Health Services and Methods to Improve Oral Health: A Narrative Review

Michael Janto  1 , Raluca Iurcov  2 , Cristian Marius Daina  3 , Daniela Carmen Neculoiu  4 , Alina Cristiana Venter  5 , Dana Badau  6   7 , Adrian Cotovanu  8 , Marcel Negrau  9 , Corina Lacramioara Suteu  3 , Monica Sabau  3 , Lucia Georgeta Daina  3
Affiliations
Review

Oral Health among Elderly, Impact on Life Quality, Access of Elderly Patients to Oral Health Services and Methods to Improve Oral Health: A Narrative Review

Michael Janto et al. J Pers Med. .

Abstract

Dental health is often neglected among the elderly because of the numerous comorbidities in this population, such as cardiovascular diseases. However, dental health influences general health and quality of life by impacting both the general health and the psychological state of the individual. The present review highlights the main dental comorbidities in the elderly population, their impact on the quality of life, the barriers towards access to dental care in the elderly and methods to improve their dental health. Information related to dental care and its importance must be provided both to older individuals and their caregivers in order to detect dental pathology and treat it adequately. Ensuring dental health involves the whole society of elders, caregivers, dental care providers, the public sector, health policymakers, and the private sector.

Keywords: access of dental health services; caries; dental health; edentulism; elderly dental pathology; oral cancer in the elderly; periodontal disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Oral health pathology in elderly and their consequences.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Barriers and methods to overcome them in dental care access of elderly.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Methods to improve dental care among elderly.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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