Oral health education program aimed to “Amor y Alegría” group, on Laguna of Alfaro Ruiz

Abstract

The results of an educational program on oral health conducted with a group of 21 elderly women from Laguna, Zarcero, Costa Rica to fullfill the requirements of a Magister Degree Program in Gerontology at the University of Costa Rica, are summarized. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the benefits on the oral health of the group of volunteers in response to their participation in an interactive program aimed to promote oral health and to prevent the most common dental problems. The volunteers are members of the group “Amor y Alegría” (Love and Joy) which is part of the Asociación Gerontológica Costarricense (Costa Rican Association of Gerontology). The group belongs to the mid socio-economic class with an adequate physical and cognitive condition to participate in the process. Andragogic principles were used to motivate changes in the traditional hygienic practices used by the participants. The group was also well documented on the tight relationship between oral and general health. A considerable improvement on oral health practices as well as on the attention of dental prothesis was observed at the end of the process. Patients recognized the relevance of proper mastication and salivary flux at the time of food consumption and its relation with self-esteem and became aware of the implications of the oral cavity in the communication process as well as on the facial expression. Predominant problems in the oral health of the participants were associated with the use of prothesis, with periodoncial aspects and with the traditional hygienic practices used and with the ignorance of options to treat any specific pathology. It is worth mentioning that the majority of the patients considered teeth deterioration or lost of dental pieces as a normal consequence of aging. The results of this study show the relevance of implementing educational programs on oral health in elderly groups of the country.