This book provides a comprehensive review of the assessment and management of older people’s oral health care needs. Discussing recent initiatives to emphasize oral health promotion and prevention, the book describes improvements in pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches for special populations in geriatrics and illuminates the role of barriers to oral health care for older people. Divided into three sections, the book first explores aging and oral health, including age-related changes, epidemiology, nutrition, dysphagia, aspiration pneumonia, xerostomia and hyposalivation, management of periodontal disease and caries, systemic diseases that influence oral health, and considerations for chronic orofacial pain. The second section illuminates the ways in which frailty and other geriatric syndromes influence oral health care in older adults with a special focus on frailty, dementia, delirium and depression, and the delivery of oral health care to vulnerable geriatric populations in long-term care, home care, palliative care, and hospice. Lastly, the book addresses inequalities in the oral health of older minority populations, the disproportionate burden of oral disease and tooth loss, the contribution of these issues to further complications in comorbidities, the association of extended health literacy and periodontal disease, and the social and cultural conditions that might be altered or improved by healthcare programs and health policies. Oral Health and Aging is a useful book written by an international group of experts and designed to educate geriatricians, primary care physicians, nurses, dentists, dental hygienists, speech and language pathologists, dietitians, and health policy advocates.

This excellent new work confronts two important oral health policy concerns in the United States: the disparities in the oral disease burden and the inability of certain segments of the population to access oral health care. The book examines in depth this crucial yet frequently overlooked indicator of seniors’ quality of life. It provides an invaluable set of recommendations to the clinical, research, and administrative communities that will serve the elderly population.

Geriatric Dentistry: Caring for Our Aging Population provides general practitioners, dental students, and auxiliary members of the dental team with a comprehensive, practical guide to oral healthcare for the aging population. Beginning with fundamental chapters on the psychological, environmental, and social aspects of aging, the book approaches patient care from a holistic point of view. Subsequent chapters show the importance of this information in a practical context by discussing how it affects office environment, decision?-making and treatment planning, and the management and treatment of common geriatric oral conditions. Case studies and study questions are used to illustrate application of educational presentations to practice settings. Contributed by leaders in the field, Geriatric Dentistry will strengthen readers’ understanding and clinical acumen in addressing this special population.

Access to oral health care is essential to promoting and maintaining overall health and well-being, yet only half of the population visits a dentist each year. Poor and minority children are less likely to have access to oral health care than are their nonpoor and nonminority peers. Older adults, people who live in rural areas, and disabled individuals, uniformly confront access barriers, regardless of their financial resources. The consequences of these disparities in access to oral health care can lead to a number of conditions including malnutrition, childhood speech problems, infections, diabetes, heart disease, and premature births. Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations examines the scope and consequences of inadequate access to oral health services in the United States and recommends ways to combat the economic, structural, geographic, and cultural factors that prevent access to regular, quality care. The report suggests changing funding and reimbursement for dental care; expanding the oral health work force by training doctors, nurses, and other nondental professionals to recognize risk for oral diseases; and revamping regulatory, educational, and administrative practices. It also recommends changes to incorporate oral health care into overall health care. These recommendations support the creation of a diverse workforce that is competent, compensated, and authorized to serve vulnerable and underserved populations across the life cycle. The recommendations provided in Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations will help direct the efforts of federal, state, and local government agencies; policy makers; health professionals in all fields; private and public health organizations; licensing and accreditation bodies; educational institutions; health care researchers; and philanthropic and advocacy organizations.

This book explores in depth the relationships between nutrition and oral health. Oral health is an integral part of general health across the life course, and this book examines nutritional and oral health considerations from childhood through to old age, with particular attention focused on the consequences of demographic changes. Current knowledge on the consequences of poor diet for the development and integrity of the oral cavity, tooth loss, and the progression of oral diseases is thoroughly reviewed. Likewise, the importance of maintenance of a disease-free and functional dentition for nutritional well-being at all stages of life is explained. Evidence regarding the impact of oral rehabilitation on nutritional status is evaluated, and strategies for changing dietary behaviour in order to promote oral health are described. Nutrition and Oral Health will be an ideal source of information for all who are seeking a clearly written update on the subject.

Does a longer life mean a healthier life? The number of adults over 65 in the United States is growing, but many may not be aware that they are at greater risk from foodborne diseases and their nutritional needs change as they age. The IOM's Food Forum held a workshop October 29-30, 2009, to discuss food safety and nutrition concerns for older adults.

ABSTRACT: Helping patients achieve an optimal quality of life through patient-centered treatment planning should be the ultimate goal of all oral health care providers. However, this issue extends beyond the realm of the individual clinician's office. This text presents quality-of-life research from various fields, including psychology, public health, and general health care; discusses how a patient-centered approach can be applied to basic oral and craniofacial research, clinical dental practice, community dental health issues, and dental education; and addresses how oral health-related quality of life relates to treating and understanding different patient populations, such as children with special needs, medically compromised patients, patients with oral cancer, and patients with chronic facial pain. Also discussed is how factors such as race/ethnicity, gender, and age can affect oral health-related quality-of-life concerns and treatment strategies. Finally, the book offers an outlook on the role that oral health-related quality of life will play in future research and dental education.