Oral hygiene and oral care essential for the elderly

By Sarah Ko

Couples often remind their child to brush his teeth at least twice a day to prevent cavities, but few realise it is just as important to encourage good oral hygiene among their own parents.

Research has shown that poor oral hygiene is linked to Aspiration Pneumonia, which is essentially a lung infection that occurs as a result of food, fluids or saliva entering the airway and into the lungs.

Pneumonia has been described as the "Captain of the Men of Death" by William Osler back in the 1910s. However its description still holds true today. Studies have shown that the risk of developing pneumonia increases with age. Those aged 75 years and above have approximately six times as much risk as those below 60 in developing pneumonia.

The risk of death from pneumonia has also been found to increase with age. A swallowing disorder (which may arise from conditions such as stroke, dementia, Parkinson's disease) further increases the risk of Aspiration Pneumonia.

Individuals with a swallowing disorder may be fed through other means such as a feeding tube that is inserted through the nose and into the stomach. As no food enters through the mouth, many people hold the misconception that there is no need for proper oral hygiene.

However, individuals with swallowing problems often also have a reduced ability to manage their own secretions and may also be dependent on others to maintain good oral hygiene. As a result, there may be an increase in oral bacteria in the saliva, which may eventually enter the airway and the lungs, thus leading to Aspiration Pneumonia.

Good news

The good news is that practising good oral hygiene can reduce the risk of Aspiration Pneumonia. Research has shown that through the improvement of oral hygiene in the elderly, an encouraging figure of 1 in 10 cases of death from pneumonia can be prevented.

So how can we maintain good oral health? The following steps are recommended:

1. Gargling

2. Brushing teeth / Cleaning of dentures

3. Cleaning all surfaces in the oral cavity

4. Visit the dentist

The writer is a speech therapist at Department of Speech Therapy, Tan Tock Seng Hospital.