Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the prevalence of oral health problems amongst care home residents.

The 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey contains information about the oral health of adults aged 65 and over including the proportion retaining one or more natural teeth, prevalence of tooth decay and the proportions reporting current dental pain. There has not been a subsequent national survey of this age group since then to assess whether oral health has improved or deteriorated. A copy of the Executive Summary: Adult Dental Health Survey 2009 is attached.

There has been no national assessment of the prevalence of oral health problems amongst care home residents.

In 2016, Public Health England (PHE) reported on oral health in older people in England and Wales using data from existing surveys.

The report found that older adults living in care homes were more likely to have no natural teeth and less likely to have a functional dentition; older adults living in care homes were more likely to have higher levels of tooth decay; care home managers experienced greater difficulty in accessing dental care for residents than household resident older adults did and; residents resisting oral care routines was the second most common oral health issue raised by care home managers. A copy of the report What is Known About the Oral Health of Older People in England and Wales: A review of oral health surveys of older people is attached.

In 2017, PHE reported on a nationally coordinated survey of the oral health of adults using domiciliary services in England undertaken between 2009-10 and 2010-11. Results showed that adult users of domiciliary care had fewer teeth present than their peers as reported in the 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey. A copy of the report Dental health among adults in contact with domiciliary care dental care services in England is attached.

In 2015/16, as part of the PHE National Dental Epidemiology Programme, a pilot dental survey was undertaken nationally of older people who have a mild level of dependency. The results are due to be published in summer 2018.