The population in Norway is increasingly ageing, and most elderly people retain their natural teeth for life. This increases the risk of diseases in the oral cavity, including root caries.
Root caries is an oral disease that can lead to pain, infections and tooth loss, which can further affect the quality of life, chewing function and nutrition of those affected.
Those most affected by this are the elderly.
"From a public health perspective, it is therefore important to gain knowledge about the prevention of root caries in order to plan future resource needs in the dental health services", says Anne Breivik.
But that's not all that's at stake here, according to the PhD candidate.
"It is also essential to be able to develop adapted and individual preventive strategies, so that older patients can maintain good oral health into old age".
Anne Breivik thesis is titled "Prevention of root caries among elderly in Norway".
The main findings of the PhD research:
- Bacterial plaque (biofilm) is more easily removed from enamel surfaces than from root surfaces. Maintaining good oral hygiene is therefore important for preventing root caries in the elderly.
- Being male and smoking are two important risk indicators for the development of root caries. Having root caries is also associated with poorer oral health-related quality of life.
- Dental hygienists in Norway perform a range of root caries preventive measures for elderly patients. However, the preventive work is challenging, especially among elderly with care needs.