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FDI World Dental Federation

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Iveta Ramonaite, Dental Tribune International

Wed. 21. August 2024

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ISTANBUL, Turkey: Prof. Gerry McKenna is a faculty member in the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast, where he leads oral health services research and geriatric dentistry within the Centre for Public Health. In this interview with Dental Tribune International, he sheds light on the evolving oral health needs and treatment expectations of older adults and discusses the importance of tailoring dental services for the growing ageing population. He also highlights several initiatives aimed at addressing the unique oral health challenges of older adults.

Prof. Gerry McKenna will be presenting at this year's FDI World Dental Congress. (Image: Tomas Tyner/University College Cork)

Prof. McKenna, why is it crucial for dental services to be adapted to meet the needs of older people?
The oral health needs of older adults have changed considerably in the last years. Instead of the traditional picture of older adults with no remaining natural teeth and complete replacement dentures, we now have a partially dentate older population.

It is also notable that the treatment expectations of older adults have changed considerably, and they now expect conservative forms of dentistry to ensure that they retain their natural teeth, ideally for the rest of their lives. While it is very positive that older adults are preserving more and more natural teeth, we need to understand that looking after natural teeth in this population is challenging. We know that, as people get older, they are more likely to develop chronic dental disease, including periodontal disease, tooth wear and, most commonly, dental caries, particularly on root surfaces. It is therefore essential for dental services to provide effective prevention for older adults that will help prevent these dental diseases and ensure that natural teeth remain functional for as long as possible.

How does the Oral Health for an Ageing Population (OHAP) project assist older individuals in achieving healthy longevity?
The OHAP project is dedicated to developing resources to help older adults achieve good oral health. We understand that older adults are a heterogeneous group with different needs. The project has developed a series of guides and information leaflets for oral healthcare professionals, carers and patients to provide them with practical advice on how to maintain and prevent dental disease in older adults. We truly hope that these resources will prove helpful in preventing dental disease.

What plans does the OHAP project have to address future needs and trends in the oral health of ageing populations?
The OHAP project has developed numerous resources, and we are now actively considering the best medium to share these with oral healthcare professionals, carers and patients themselves. We want to ensure that they are readily available and accessible, and it seems that having them online might be more effective than distributing paper-based information guides. We also want to ensure that the resources apply and are accessible to as many countries as possible.

“The OHAP project is dedicated to developing resources to help older adults achieve good oral health.”

At 2024 FDI World Dental Congress, a special session will be dedicated to this topic. What can attendees anticipate from this session?
The session will present the project’s progress to date. We will give an overview of the importance of good oral health for older adults and share some of the resources that we have developed. These include the FDI Frailty Guide for dentists and other healthcare professionals to assess older adults’ level of oral frailty. This guide enables practitioners to determine the patient’s dependency level and risk of oral frailty, followed by targeted prevention advice.

We will also provide details on the OHAP exercise brochure, which outlines regular oral function exercises for older adults. These exercises are designed to help maintain oral health and prevent signs of oral functional decline. I hope that attendees will find this session informative.

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