The Journal of the American Dental Association
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

J Am Dent Assoc, Vol 140, No 11, 1392-1400.
© 2009 American Dental Association
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Ellefsen, B.
Right arrow Articles by Waldemar, G.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Ellefsen, B.
Right arrow Articles by Waldemar, G.

RESEARCH

JADA Continuing Education

Assessing Caries Increments in Elderly Patients With and Without Dementia

A One-Year Follow-up Study



Birita Ellefsen, DDS, PhD, Poul Holm-Pedersen, DDS, DrOdont, Douglas E. Morse, DDS, PhD, Marianne Schroll, MD, DMSCc, Birgitte Bo Andersen, MD, DMSc and Gunhild Waldemar, MD, DMSc

Background. The authors conducted a study to determine one-year coronal and root caries increments in patients newly diagnosed as having Alzheimer disease (AD), other dementia (OD) or no dementia.

Methods. The authors recruited patients from two hospital memory clinics in Copenhagen. The oral examination included an assessment of dental status and dental caries. The authors used a structured questionnaire to obtain information regarding demographic, social and functional variables.

Results. In the baseline study, 106 dentate patients participated. Of these, 77 completed the follow-up study. The participants’ mean age was 81.9 years at baseline and 82.5 years at follow-up. At baseline, 87 (82 percent) of 106 participants had dementia and at follow-up, 64 (83 percent) of 77 participants had dementia. The mean number of decayed tooth surfaces was significantly higher at follow-up than at baseline for all participants, and the number was highest for the OD group. The one-year adjusted caries and filling increments (ADJCIs) were high for participants with and without dementia but were highest for participants in the AD and OD groups. Baseline risk factors for developing elevated coronal and root ADJCIs included having caries, having many teeth and being older than 80 years.

Conclusions. Elderly people referred to a memory clinic were at an elevated risk of developing high levels of coronal and root-surface caries during the first year after referral, and those with a dementia diagnosis other than AD appeared to be at a particularly high risk of developing multiple carious lesions during the first year after diagnosis.

Clinical Implications. These findings underscore the importance of addressing the oral health needs of elderly people suspected of having experienced cognitive decline.

Key Words: Alzheimer disease; caries; dental care for elderly patients; nursing homes; oral health; research

Abbreviations: AD: Alzheimer disease • ADJCIs: Adjusted caries and filling increments • ADL: Activities of daily living • CCIs: Crude caries and filling increments • DFSs: Decayed and filled surfaces • DMFT: Decayed, missing and filled teeth • DSs: Decayed surfaces • FSs: Filled surfaces • IADL: Instrumental Activities of Daily Living • MMSE: Mini-Mental State Examination • MOB: Mobility • MOB-H: Mobility-help • MOB-T: Mobility-tired • NCIs: Net caries and filling increments • ND: No dementia • OD: Other dementia






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright©1995-2009 American Dental Association (ADA).
Reproduction or republication strictly prohibited without prior written permission of ADA.