ORAL HEALTH AND TREATMENT NEEDS AMONG PATIENTS IN PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTIONS FOR THE ELDERLY

The purpose of the study was to assess oral health and treatment needs among elderly in psychiatric institutions in a Danish county. The stu dy serves as baseline for the evaluation of a newly established oral h ealth care program in the county. The study population comprised the r esidents in eight institutions (n = 407). Two thirds of the residents were edentulous, 34% of the dentate had one or more root remnants, and 55% had untreated decay. The dentate with regular dental visiting hab its had significantly less untreated decay than the irregular users. T he oral hygiene was poor, but was not related to whether or not the el derly were assisted in daily oral hygiene. The evaluation of the progr am will show to what extent treatment takes place, and whether or not oral hygiene improves.