Oral health and the patient with dementia

SUMMARY Approximately 1.5 million people in the US have Alzheimer's disease. As the older population increases, the number of persons with Alzheimer's disease will also increase. The goal of the dental care provider, for these persons, is to maintain oral health despite a setting of physical and cognitive decline. Providing dental care to patients with a dementing illness will require modification of patient management techniques, particularly a greater use of nonverbal communication and an alteration in verbal communication patterns. Appropriate treatment planning and aggressive prevention are critical to the maintenance of their oral health.