Smiling matters: oral health in care homes progress report

The report says:

• Care homes are more aware of our oral health guideline. In 2019, 39% of managers were not at all aware of the guidance; this reduced to only 9% in 2022.
• In 2022, 83% of the care homes inspected for this review said that people had an oral health assessment on admission – up from 73% in 2019.
• Our guideline emphasises the importance of reviewing and updating people's oral care needs in their care plans to meet their changing needs. Of the care homes visited, 79% said they included an oral health section in all, or mostly all, of their care plans. This is up from 70% in 2019.

Oral health not only enhances people's quality of life, but it is vital to making sure they can eat, drink, take medication and stay healthy. A preventive approach should mean that care home staff are making fewer reactive interventions and relieves pressure on primary and secondary healthcare.

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