ABSTRACT
Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze oral, dental and denture hygiene, and the current treatment needs in nursing home residents. Design: Cross-sectional design. Setting: Nursing homes in Saxony, Germany. Participants and Intervention: Participating dentists recorded the frequency of oral, dental and denture care, dental treatment needs, and the request for treatment in 11,144 nursing home residents by using standardized checklists. Results: Mean age of the residents was 82.5 years, and 74.6% were females. For 54.0% of those examined, nursing staff did care for oral, dental, and denture hygiene. 77.5% of the residents performed oral hygiene more frequently than once daily, 19.8% only once a day, and 2.6% performed oral hygiene less frequent. A need for dental treatment was identified in 64.1% of the residents, of which 34.5% were missing dentures, and 29.7% suffered from dental diseases. 58.3% of the residents not requesting treatment had a clinical need for dental therapy. Objective and subjective need for treatment correlated positively (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Nursing home staff should be aware of the poor oral hygiene and health care conditions in residents. In addition to regular dental check-ups, nursing home residents should be given advice on dental care. Furthermore, dentists and health insurances should develop an action plan to improve oral health of nursing home residents, and to reduce additional costs due to lack of dental care.