2009 Funded Project

CFHRE Peer Reviewed Grant

Project Title: A Systematic Review of Interventions to Improve Daily Mouth Care for Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities.

Lead Principal Applicant
Name: Sandra J. Cobban, RDH, PhD Candidate
Title: Associate Professor
Host Institution/Organization: Dental Hygiene Program, University of Alberta
Address: 2038A Dentistry-Pharmacy Centre, Edmonton, AB, T6G2N8

Co- Principal Applicant:
Name: Carole Estabrooks, RN, PhD
Title: Professor, Canada Research Chair
Organization: Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta
Address: 3rd Floor Clinical Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G3

Award
$7,000

Abstract
Background: Oral health is important to general health, but dentate elderly in long-term care suffer caries or gingival bleeding, and the edentulous suffer from denture stomatitis and loose dentures. These conditions are debilitating, having a negative effect on food consumption. Residents are older with more physical and cognitive impairments, and have natural teeth, rather than dentures. Policies have been slow to adapt to such changes. Daily mouthcare is provided by nursing aides under the direction of nurses. Nursing aides face resistive behaviours, absence of necessary supplies, fear or discomfort providing oral care, lack of confidence in levels of knowledge, lack of time and lack of staff.

Objective: A systematic review of interventions to improve oral health outcomes. When findings of the study proceed to implementation, pain and oral disease will be reduced for elders in long-term care.

These are innovative projects with high levels of importance to the dental hygiene profession. Congratulations to the researchers!