Oral health care for patients with Alzheimer's disease: An update

• Published in: Special care in dentistry Vol. 39; no. 3; pp. 262 - 273
• Main Authors: Marchini, Leonardo, Ettinger, Ronald, Caprio, Thomas, Jucan, Adina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-05-2019
• Subjects: Alzheimer's disease; Cognitive ability; dementia; Dementia disorders; dental care for aged; dental care for disabled; Dental insurance; Dentistry; Dentists; Epidemiology; Etiology; geriatric dentistry; Neurodegenerative diseases; oral health; Oral hygiene; Pain; Patients; Quality of life; dementia; oral health; dental care for aged; dental care for disabled; geriatric dentistry; Alzheimer's disease
• ISSN: 0275-1879; 1754-4505
• DOI: 10.1111/scd.12375

Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRD) are among the age‐associated chronic conditions that are most challenging to health care systems around the globe, as patients with dementia require full‐time, intensive care for multiple years. Oral health care is negatively impacted by cognitive decline, and consequently poor oral health is common among people with ADRD. Poor oral health status is linked with many undesirable consequences for the well‐being of people with ADRD, from excruciating local pain to life‐threatening conditions, as aspiration pneumonia. In this paper, the authors provide an update on the most current concepts about Alzheimer's disease epidemiology, etiology, and management, current oral health care for patients with Alzheimer's disease, oral health promotion strategies for this population, as well as current research and future direction for improving oral health care for patients with Alzheimer's disease. It concludes that oral health care should be included in the patient's routine health care as early as possible in the progression of Alzheimer's disease for preventing rapid oral health deterioration. Establishing oral hygiene routines and providing dental treatment that is customized to the patients’ individual needs and disease stage are important to achieve good oral health outcomes and prevent quality of life decline.