Dry Mouth
“Oral diseases and conditions can have social impacts on quality of life, including comfort, eating, pain and appearance and are related to dentate status. Older adults need to eat and talk
Aged Care
Ageing oral cavities are more vulnerable to oral hygiene related problems and require a higher level of care. As people become more frail they are less able and less diligent with oral hygiene and problems are...
Cancer Therapy
Most people are aware of common side effects of cancer therapy such as nausea and hair loss. But few people are aware that one third of treated patients have oral complications
Gum Disease
Inflammation of the gums is called Gingivitis. It is the first stage of more serious chronic periodontal disease which can lead to the loss of teeth.
Mouth Ulcers
Mouth ulcers are sores that appear in the mouth often on the insides of cheeks, lips or tongue. They are generally white or grey in colour with a red raised inflamed edge. The usual cause...
Sjögren's Syndrome
Sjögren’s is a chronic autoimmune disease in which a person’s white blood cells attack the body’s moisture-producing glands (primarily those that produce tears and saliva).
Bad Breath
Halitosis is an embarrassing and socially debilitating problem. It can cause social anxiety, isolation and depression. It can also indicate potential health issues.
Diabetes
Patients with diabetes should be told that periodontal disease risk is increased by diabetes. Inflammation places them at higher risk of complications such as...
The Denta-Med Story
This began in the 1980’s when Dr Shanahan began his research into the oral health of the elderly. At that time, the elderly were in transition. The ‘Old’ Elderly, born in the early 1900’s, were different to the ‘New’ Elderly born just before World War 2.
The ‘Old’ Elderly had lived through World War 1, the Great Depression, World War 2, and post war reconstruction, which severely impacted on their lives. The ’New’ Elderly would have all the economic, social, medical, and dental benefits of later times.
Medical technologies would extend their lives by almost 20 years. Dental technologies enabled the ’New’ Elderly to keep their teeth, unlike the ‘Old’ Elderly, who had lost all their teeth and wore complete dentures. With these medical and dental pluses, there were minuses. Since the medical risk increases with age so do health and aged care costs. The other minus was their oral health.
Older people have the worst oral health of all because they cannot afford dental care, there are no ‘need based’ services, and healthy ageing programs do not focus on oral health and its impact on general health, quality of life, or health expenditures.
Dr Shanahan saw the connection between poor oral health and adverse general health care in aged care with more frequent medical and nursing interventions being necessary. Medical research now strongly links bacteria from oral and dental conditions with medical complications, most of which are preventable.
Cost benefit studies in the US have demonstrated the cost of treating medical complications caused by untreated dental conditions was seven times more than the cost of providing the ‘medically necessary' dental care (US Institute of Health, Office of the Actuary, 1988).
Pneumonia is prevalent in the aged, frequently caused by inhaling pathogenic bacteria from the mouth. Those with strokes and emphysema are at high risk. Nursing home studies in Japan have demonstrated preventive oral care regimes can reduce the incidence of pneumonia. Despite the evidence, they have not been adopted.
Palliative Care
Palliative care is indicated when curative care is no longer appropriate. It can be short, medium, or long term, not just end stage. The fundamental principles are to maintain function, comfort, quality of life, and prevent complications. Current practices do not address these oral care requirements. Denta-Med does.
The Evolution of Denta-Med
The early concept of Denta-Med has been substantially developed over the intervening years with the addition of emerging technologies, greater knowledge, research, and usage.
The Response
Global companies supply the world with personal care products, which includes oral care. The vast majority tend to hone in on the consumer's desire for sparkly white teeth...consequently, there is a dearth of products that address health care and those with not only oral health problems, but health problems.
Denta-Med offers an innovative, Australian 21st century approach to strengthening general health by enhancing oral health.
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