Oral Health Care Needs in the Dependant Elderly in India

There is a sudden blast of the “65 plus” population in the last decade, and India is no exception to that. A continuing progress in the medical field has raised the longevity of life. This changing face of population offers the oral professionals to observe unique challenges to treat the rapidly growing segment of the elderly and the dependant overage population— the Homebound residents and the Nursing homebound residents. The old age of the residents is compounded with chronic medical problems they are suffering from and the medications they are taking. This cohort is characteristically different from other elderly due to their dependency to carry even the routine activities such as tooth cleaning which results in increased risk towards the oral ailments. As very few surveys are done regarding the oral health status among this section, the prevalence of oral and dental problems in them is under a cloud. “Dental care at home or at destinations of residents” is yet a novel concept in India, hence not only there is a need to reach to the residents but also to treat them in the holistic manner. The purpose of this paper is to review the existing oral health conditions in the elderly in India.