Oral health and quality of life of the geriatric patient: contexts of autonomy

Abstract

Background: The state of oral health plays an important role in the concept of frailty among the elderly, as they tend to suffer from poor oral health conditions. Objective: The aim of our systematic review is to study the impact of oral health on the quality of life of the geriatric patient in different contexts of autonomy. Material and Methods: A systematic literature review was carried out of which the selection of articles, with publication date between 2008 and 2020 was conducted through computer platforms. The studies were analyzed and evaluated respecting the previously established inclusion criteria. The review corpus consisted of 16 articles, which presented methodological quality. Results: Oral health has an impact on the quality of life of the elderly, both in the context of institutionalization and at a community level. Oral health has an effect on the quality of life of the elderly, namely in the dimensions of physical pain, physical disability, psychological discomfort, functional limitation, psychological and social disability. The higher the level of dependency the lower the oral health which has the greatest impact on quality of life. The presence of periodontitis, dental caries, edentulism, oral lesions and unsuitable dental prostheses result in a worse perception of quality of life. Conclusion: The evidence found in this study reveals that the state of oral health among the elderly influences their quality of life, regardless of the context of autonomy, indicating the need for oral health policies aimed at this specific population.