Palliative Care and Oral Health: A Review

Abstract

The oral health of patients undergoing palliative care is often overlooked and, for those with terminal health conditions, the delivery of oral healthcare is relatively insignificant. Lack of awareness along with inadequate oral hygiene practices can lead to an array of complications, ultimately compromizing patient quality of life. This review provides an overview of the oral health conditions that commonly affect these patients, as well as evaluates the current clinical practices in managing them. Palliative care does not aim to lengthen life, but puts an emphasis on improving its quality. Given that oral health plays a significant role in health and wellbeing, it is surprizing that there is very limited focus on this area during palliative care. Moreover, dental professionals are rarely included in the large multidisciplinary teams that manage patients. This field would not only benefit from more evidence-based research but also closer participation from dental professionals to improve the quality of care for terminally ill patients. CPD/Clinical Relevance: This article aims to raise awareness regarding patients undergoing palliative care and its implications in dentistry.