Protocol for Dental Care for the Elderly in Primary Care

The scientific literature states that health programmes aimed at the elderly are rare and the few epidemiological studies carried out show a worrying situation, such as: high rates of periodontal disease, oral mucosa lesions and the need for prostheses. This book makes a careful analysis of journals and allows research to be directed towards 6 thematic lines that will contextualise and define how care for the elderly should be provided in the dental office: 1- History of the increase in the elderly population; 2- Context of oral health for geriatric patients; 3- Expansion of dental-geriatric services; 4- Importance of dental care for the elderly; 5- Knowledge of the relationship between systemic and oral alterations; 6- Need for a protocol for caring for these patients. Dental surgeons should provide care to the elderly according to a protocol, so that there can be a correct relationship with professionals from other areas, promote disease prevention, carry out correct management and diagnosis of oral alterations, and thus attribute a better quality of life to this growing segment of the population.