Brennan Leonard J, Strauss Jason
Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 188 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Geriatric Psychiatry, CHA Whidden Hospital Campus, Cambridge Health Alliance, 103 Garland Street, Everett, MA 02149, USA.
Dent Clin North Am. 2014 Oct;58(4):815-28. doi: 10.1016/j.cden.2014.07.001. Epub 2014 Aug 3.
Worldwide incidences of degenerative cognitive diseases are increasing as the population ages. This decline in mental function frequently causes behavioral changes that directly affect oral health. The loss of interest and ability to complete the simple tasks of brushing and flossing can cause a rapid development of hard and soft tissue diseases that result in decreased function and increased dental pain. The challenge for the dental community is to understand and to identify the early signs of cognitive dysfunction so as to develop a rational treatment strategy that allows patients to comfortably maintain their teeth for as long as possible.
随着人口老龄化，全球退行性认知疾病的发病率正在上升。这种心理功能的衰退常常导致行为改变，直接影响口腔健康。失去刷牙和使用牙线这些简单任务的兴趣和能力，会导致软硬组织疾病迅速发展，进而导致功能下降和牙齿疼痛加剧。牙科界面临的挑战是了解并识别认知功能障碍的早期迹象，从而制定合理的治疗策略，使患者能够尽可能舒适地长期保持牙齿健康。
