Index IntroductionProblem StatementLiterature ReviewDiscussionConclusionRecommendationsIntroductionAging is a natural physiological process common to all living beings. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a person is considered elderly from the age of 65. The aging population brings new challenges to oral health. Oral health is a state of being free from mouth and facial pain, oral infections, tooth decay and gum disease. Because older adults live longer and retain more permanent teeth than previous generations, they are more likely to be functionally dependent. Being functionally dependent means having experienced a deterioration in physical abilities due to advanced age and having to rely on the assistance of others. This is expected to increase dental care needs and place greater demand on dental and healthcare systems. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay As the population ages, diseases of old age will have an increasing prevalence and place a greater burden on the healthcare system. Although asthma is generally considered a disease of young people, mortality from asthma is currently highest in the over 55 age group. Asthma symptoms and emergency health interventions represent a serious burden on the quality of life of people with asthma over the age of 55 years. Asthma in older adults is underdiagnosed due to physiological and patient factors. Therapeutic strategies for asthma have predominantly been derived from younger cohorts, so effective therapeutic strategies have usually not been explored in older people. Older adults with asthma are very concerned about medication side effects, so adherence to treatment regimens is often poor. Problem Statement Older adults have poorer oral health status than the general population due to functional problems. The situation is worse in public clinics because patients suffering from asthma for 3-4 years are not aware of the oral manifestations caused by the drugs they are taking and this is because nurses do not have the knowledge and training necessary to provide adequate care. oral healthcare. Literature Review Chronic conditions are often the catalyst for physical, psychological, and financial burden. Individuals who suffer from asthma often demonstrate difficulty managing their condition and modifying their lifestyle to include factors such as healthy exercise routines and an appropriate environmental environment. Asthma, which is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, has been on the rise over the past decade with increasing prevalence among children in the United States. It is estimated that a total of 22 million people suffer from asthma, of which almost 6 million are children. Physical side effects of the condition include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest. These symptoms could have a significant impact on the quality of life experienced by the asthmatic individual due to activity limitation, discomfort, embarrassment, and constant worry about their condition. It is essential to identify these conditions early and implement adequate treatment, given that behavioral patterns developed during childhood act as predictors of the development of the disease in adulthood; therefore, poor management of asthma in childhood and adolescence can lead to ineffective management in adulthood.According to the global World Health Survey, complete tooth loss affects approximately 30% of older adults between the ages of 65 and 74, however, prevalence rates are increasing dramatically in low- and middle-income countries, especially among poor population groups and disadvantaged. Poor oral hygiene, tooth loss and disease due to oral pathogens have been linked to other non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, pneumonia and respiratory diseases. Drugs taken to control these systemic diseases of the elderly can cause unwanted side effects, the most common of which is xerostomia, or dry mouth. This can lead to the development of tooth decay, demineralization of the teeth, tooth sensitivity and/or oral infections. A combination of poor oral hygiene and xerostomia contributes to poor oral health status which can subsequently affect nutritional status as well as overall health and well-being. . For this reason, poor oral health can have a significant impact on an individual's quality of life and ability to carry out their daily routine. Xerostomia is dry mouth and affects people physiologically due to dry mouth which makes it impossible to maintain adequate oral hygiene due to cracks in the mouth. And it affects people psychologically, especially if it's caused by drugs, because they don't have control over the drugs used to make the drugs. Most people are not aware of xerostomia until it becomes painful, while some consider it a normal oral condition and this is due to lack of information and knowledge. For example, in individuals being treated for asthma, one of the side effects of their medications is xerostomia. In most cases people affected by xerostomia due to poor oral hygiene due to ignorance or lack of knowledge. The intervention involves the collaboration of the patient, nurse and other institutions to ensure that the maximum oral health potential is attempted. The use of fluoride is effective in preventing dental caries in the elderly. Topical application and mouth rinsing with fluorides have been shown to reduce the number of carious lesions on the root surface, both in active elderly people. According to Persson RE et al., rinsing with a chlorhexidine solution tends to reduce gingival inflammation, pocket depth and the incidence of denture stomatitis. Chewing xylitol gum may reduce the prevalence of denture stomatitis, xerostomia, and angular cheilitis. And Schou L. says clinical studies suggest that oral health education for older patients is effective. Materials and methods: A qualitative research design was applied in this study. This was a cross-sectional study conducted with data from interviews and questionnaires. To assess oral health status in older adults, the Revised Oral Assessment Guide (ROAG) was used and to assess functional status and detect problems in carrying out activities of daily living, the KATZ scale was used. The study was conducted in 2 clinics around Seshego, one in Zone 4, the other in Zone 8. The sample size for the study was 68 participants and the population consisted of 23 males and 45 females aged over 60 years. Results The ROAG, Katz, and BMI scales were used to assess participants at home. The number of participants was 68, Zone 4 had 51 patients and Zone 8 had 17, so the majority of participants were from Zone 4 (75%). Most participants were women (66%). The average age was 77 years, with the youngest elderly participant being 60 years old and the oldest being 99 years old. There.
tags