@article{Tan_Teo_Kula_Halim_Rahman_Dhaliwal_2019, title={Prevalence of oral health problems and dental hygiene practices in older medical patients in RIPAS Hospital, Brunei}, volume={67}, url={https://www.jgerontology-geriatrics.com/article/view/54}, abstractNote={<p><strong>Background</strong>. Oral hygiene is a critical part of an individual’s health. Older individuals are more prone to oral<br>pathology, particularly females. This study assessed the prevalence of oral health problems of older people<br>admitted to hospital and their dental hygiene practices.<br><strong>Methods</strong>. The study was done on patients aged 65 years or older admitted to medical wards in a tertiary hospital.<br>A questionnaire regarding dental hygiene habits as well as the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT) were<br>administered.<br><strong>Results</strong>. For the 100 patients interviewed and assessed, most participants brushed their teeth at least once<br>daily with toothpaste. Almost three quarters did not visit a dentist regularly, while 43% were not aware of the<br>importance of visiting a dentist routinely. The main problems identified in the oral cavity were tongue and natural teeth.<br><strong>Conclusions</strong>. The prevalence of oral health problems in older medical inpatients was low. However, the dental<br>hygiene habits and perceptions of importance of dental hygiene should be improved to maintain the low prevalence of dental problems in older people.</p&gt;}, number={2}, journal={JOURNAL OF GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS}, author={Tan, C.S. and Teo, S.P. and Kula, M. and Halim, N. and Rahman, H.A. and Dhaliwal, J.S.}, year={2019}, month={Jun.}, pages={109-113} }