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. 2022 Oct 23;19(21):13776.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph192113776.

Oral and Mucosal Complaints among Institutionalized Care Seniors in Malopolska Voivodeship-The Utility of the Mirror Sliding Test in an Assessment of Dry Mouth

Piotr Michalak  1 , Paulina Polak-Szlósarczyk  1 , Wioletta Dyduch-Dudek  1 , Barbara Kęsek  2 , Elżbieta Zarzecka-Francica  3 , Maria Styrna  4 , Łukasz Czekaj  1 , Joanna Zarzecka  1
Affiliations

Oral and Mucosal Complaints among Institutionalized Care Seniors in Malopolska Voivodeship-The Utility of the Mirror Sliding Test in an Assessment of Dry Mouth

Piotr Michalak et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to evaluate reported oral and mucosal complaints among seniors residing in institutionalized 24-h care of the Municipal Center for Older and Dependent People (MHCOD) and the 3-month rehabilitation program of the Daily Medical Care House (DMCH). We evaluated the feasibility of using the dental mirror slidding test to assess dry mouth of seniors. Patients underwent a questionnaire, and clinical examination. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to assess pain, Fox's questionnaire and Challacombe's scale with Clinical Oral Dryness Score to assess dryness of the mouth, dental mirror slidding test to assess buccal mucosal resistance. Dryness, mucosal burning, impaired taste, food intake are symptoms associated with seniors, and their frequency does not depend on the type of care. The incidence of mucosal burning (Mdn = 4.0, IQR = 4.75, p = 0.032) and difficulty in using dental prosthetics (Mdn = 3.0, IQR = 4.00, p = 0.010) increase with the length of stay at MHCOD. Seniors are at risk of side effects of polypharmacy, which cause dryness (p = 0.036), complaints of lack of saliva (p = 0.009) and taste disorders (p = 0.041. Seniors with higher levels of dry mouth are more likely to exhibit mucosal burning (p = 0.026) and difficulty in taking food (p = 0.037). The implementation of the dental mirror slidding test in the scope of the primary care of geriatric examination should be discussed.

Keywords: dry mouth; gerodontology; long-term care; older people; oral health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Relationship between the length of stay in MHCOD and CODS.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Relationship between VAS and the score of sliding mirror test.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Relationship between the number of medications taken and the score of the sliding mirror test.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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