Use of oral health care services among older home care clients in the context of an intervention study

Background An increasing number of care‐dependent older people living at home need external support to receive regular dental care. Objectives To investigate the use of oral health care services among old home care clients who participated in an intervention study focusing on oral self‐care and nutrition. Materials and Methods This study employed data from the multidisciplinary Nutrition, Oral Health and Medication (NutOrMed) intervention study with a population‐based sample of 245 home care clients (74% female) aged 75 or more divided in intervention ( n = 140) and two control groups ( n = 105). The data were collected through interviews at baseline and 6‐month follow‐up. Results At baseline, 43% of participants reported visits to oral health care within the previous year. At 6‐month follow‐up, this proportion was 51%. In the intervention group, the corresponding figures were 46% and 53%, and in the controls 39% and 48%. Adjusted regression analyses showed that this change was statistically significant ( p = 0.008). In addition, higher education and toothache or other discomfort related to teeth or dentures at baseline were associated with increased use after the 6‐month follow‐up (OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 1.0–1.2; OR = 3.4, 95% CI = 1.5–7.9) but being edentulous indicated the opposite (OR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.1–0.4). Belonging to the intervention group was not associated with increased use. Conclusions In older adults, any efforts to raise awareness of oral health are of great potential to increase use of services.