Consciousness and Knowledge of Nursing Home Workers About Oral Malodor

An increasing number of elderly people in Japan are living in nursing homes. Some of them have strong breath odor, which makes it difficult for the facility workers to perform oral care service. A questionnaire survey was conducted to examine how often the facility workers experience the residents’ oral malodor. The knowledge and consciousness of workers about oral malodor were also examined. Some workers actually experienced oral malodor of the facility residents and hoped that their breath odor could be reduced. The workers understood the causes of oral malodor, but the importance of saliva flow was not well recognized. On the other hand, more than 80% of workers expressed concern about their own breath odor while providing oral care. Nearly 80% of them want to get more information on oral malodor. The results of this questionnaire survey showed that oral malodor is an important matter at care facilities for the elderly, and instruction on oral malodor is necessary for facility workers.