[The orodental situation of aged patients hospitalized at the Hôpital de Gériatrie of Geneva].

The purpose of the present study was to identify the major oral and dental problems and treatment needs among 216 patients who had been consecutively hospitalized at Hôpital de Gériatrie de Genéve. The patients were interviewed and examined during the week following their hospitalization. There were 150 women (73.6%) and 57 men with a mean age of 84 years. Of these 44.4% were completely edentulous. The patients with remaining teeth had on average 11 teeth, of which 24.1% showed active caries. Active root caries was observed in 54.2% of the patients with natural teeth. Of the remaining teeth 27.4% were crowned and three quarters of these had poorly adapted margins. Removable dentures were observed in 81% of the patients. Of the complete dentures 18.5% were poorly adapted and 30.3% of the removable partial dentures were unstable. Denture stomatitis was observed among 20.5% of the denture wearers. It appears from this study that elderly patients have many oral, dental and prosthetic problems and that their treatment needs are generally important. In order to improve the situation it seems necessary to introduce dental care programs for homebound and institutionalized elderly patients.