Improving Oral Health for the Elderly

Improving Oral Health for the Elderly: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Edited by Ira B. Lamster, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, New York

Mary E. Northridge, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York

Improving Oral Health for the Elderly: An Interdisciplinary Approach examines in depth a crucial yet frequently overlooked indicator of seniors’ quality of life. By combining a lifespan approach to health with a biopsychosocial perspective on health disparities, this book places oral health in the larger context of physical and mental well-being. Chapter authors emphasize elders’ distinct needs as a group, the interplay of factors contributing to the oral disease burden (from increased tooth retention to the absence of dental benefits as part of Medicare), and the necessity—and overall benefits—of improved service delivery and interdisciplinary care. The result is an invaluable set of recommendations to the clinical, research, and administrative communities that they can use to better understand and serve this steadily growing population.

Among the topics covered:

• Access to oral health care.
• Common illnesses and conditions affecting seniors’ oral health.
• Normal oral/dental changes associated with aging.
• Oral health care considerations for older adults.
• Educating the dental profession.
• Emerging research and policy issues.
• Plus specific chapters on periodontal disease as a risk factor for systemic diseases, oral cancer, and orofacial pain.

Improving Oral Health for the Elderly: An Interdisciplinary Approach is of immediate interest to readers in dentistry, medicine, and aging studies, but this unique volume also merits the attention of professionals and researchers involved in community and public health, healthpromotion, disease prevention, social work, health care policy and planning.

From the reviews:

"Lamster (Columbia U. College of Dental Medicine) and Northridge (Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia U.) take an interdisciplinary stance on the oral health of the elderly by compiling 21 contributions ... who view oral health in the context of physical and mental well-being. … The book is aimed at those in dentistry, medicine, and aging studies, and in community and public health, health promotion, disease prevention, social work, and health care policy and planning." (SciTech Book News, June, 2008)

"By combining a lifespan approach to health with a biopsychosocial perspective on health disparities, the book places oral health in the larger context of physical and mental well-being ... an invaluable set of recommendations to the clinical, research, and administrative communities that they can use to better  understand and serve this steadily growing population." (Dentistry Today)

"...examines in depth a crucial yet frequently overlooked indicator of seniors’ quality of life... places oral health in the larger context of physical and mental well-being....  of immediate interest to readers in dentistry, medicine, and aging studies, it also merits the attention of professionals and researchers involved in community and public health, health promotion, disease prevention, social work, and healthcare policy and planning." (News/Trends)

"...the book is both factual and thought provoking. Some areas challenge our conscience and understanding of the particular dental needs of the older population....  It is an essential read..." (R. J. McGeoch, BRITISH DENTAL JOURNAL VOLUME 206 NO. 10 MAY 23 2009)

Ira B. Lamster is Dean of the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine.

Mary E. Northridge is Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Public Health and Associate Professor of Clinical Sociomedical Sciences at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. She co-edited the forthcoming Springer book on The Health of Sexual Minorities: Public Health Perspectives on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Populations.