FGDP(UK) supports drive to improve oral health in care homes

FGDP(UK) supports drive to improve oral health in care homes
 
The Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) is supporting a new standards document from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on oral health promotion in care homes.
 
Over 425,000 people in the UK live in care homes, and the new quality standard recommends that residents have their oral health needs assessed on admission and recorded in their personal care plans, and are supported to clean their teeth twice a day and/or their dentures daily. 
 
Dr Paul Batchelor, a Fellow and Board-member-elect of the FGDP, Editor of the Faculty’s forthcoming guidance on dementia-friendly dental practice, and a member of the Quality Standards Advisory Committee which developed the new standard, commented:
 
“The degree of oral health provision in care homes is highly variable, but these basic measures – assessing, recording and daily cleaning - could significantly improve the health and quality of life of residents, and should be applied universally.”
 
NICE published a clinical guideline on the oral health of adults in care homes last year, and has also produced a quick guide resource for care home managers on improving residents’ oral health.