A new study from the Registry of Senior Australians (ROSA) Research Centre at SAHMRI has found that nearly one in five people entering Australian residential aged care facilities has a serious oral health issue, but many face barriers to receiving adequate dental care. The research, involving 360,305 residents, shows that 19.6% arrived with gum disease, tooth loss, cavities, or other concerns—leading to over 7,000 hospitalisations, half of which could have been prevented.
Lead researcher Professor Gill Caughey says the lack of accessible, affordable dental care is taking a toll on older Australians. “Our findings highlight that oral health care for our most vulnerable older Australians is not meeting the mark, these hospitalisations are really the tip of the iceberg in terms of poor oral health care and their impact on these individuals’ health and wellbeing,” Prof Caughey said.
Besides pain and infection risks, poor dental hygiene can intensify other health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, pneumonia and cognitive decline.
“Systemic barriers to better oral health care, include poor access, high staff turnover, limited dental/oral health education, high costs, and poor integration between aged care and health sectors,” Prof Caughey said.
Despite recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety in 2021, progress in implementing initiatives like a Senior Dental Benefits Scheme remains slow. “Despite clear recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety in 2021, including improved access to dental services and the establishment of a Senior Dental Benefits Scheme, there has been little progress,” Prof Caughey said.
The study, conducted in collaboration with the South Australian Oral Health Plan Older Person’s Working Group with support from the Hospital Research Foundation, reinforces the urgent need for policy action.
“If we’re serious about improving the wellbeing of older Australians, urgent policy and practice changes to prioritise oral health care need to be adopted,” Prof Caughey concluded.
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
