Prioritising oral healthcare for adults in care homes

The BDA has always been concerned about the patchy and inconsistent provision of dental care for adults in residential homes and welcomes the new guidance ‘Oral health for adults in care homes’,published by NICE.

However, the BDA warns that implementing these will require adequate funding, and identifying patients in care homes for dental treatment is hampered by the fact that IT systems for dentistry are not integrated into the rest of the NHS.

The BDA investigated the provision of dental services for older people in care homes in 2003, and again in 2012, and found that where access to dental services was poor or non-existent, it can have a devastating impact on the overall health and wellbeing of residents.

This impact ranges from pain and ulcers caused by ill fitting dentures to dehydration and malnutrition caused by difficulties in eating.  Poor oral health can also limit an individual’s ability to communicate with their peers and carers, resulting in loneliness and isolation.