Oral Health Management in Palliative Care
Summary
Oral health management in palliative care addresses the prevention, assessment and treatment of mouth‐related conditions in patients with life‐limiting illnesses. As disease progression and therapeutic interventions often provoke xerostomia, mucositis, candidiasis and dysphagia, oral symptoms can compromise nutrition, communication and overall quality of life. Effective care relies on routine screening with standardised tools, early referral to dental or oral medicine specialists and tailored interventions such as saliva substitutes, antimicrobial rinses, gentle hygiene measures and analgesics. Multidisciplinary collaboration between palliative physicians, nurses and dental professionals is essential to overcome barriers of time constraints, limited referral pathways and variable practitioner awareness. Innovations including teledentistry and targeted interprofessional training programmes aim to enhance access to expert guidance and support seamless oral care delivery. Globally, integrating robust oral health management into palliative services holds significant promise for alleviating suffering and preserving dignity at the end of life.
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Oral Health Management in Palliative Care publication trend
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Technical terms
Xerostomia: A subjective sensation of oral dryness resulting from reduced saliva flow, common in advanced illness and upon certain medications.
Dysphagia: Difficulty or discomfort in swallowing that may impair nutrition and increase the risk of aspiration in palliative patients.
Oral mucositis: Inflammation and ulceration of the mouth’s mucous membranes, often induced by cancer therapies or systemic disease.
Teledentistry: The remote provision of dental consultation, diagnosis and monitoring via digital communication technologies, facilitating specialist input where in-person access is limited.
References
- The perceptions of palliative care medical practitioners towards oral health: A descriptive qualitative study. Palliative Medicine (2024).
- Xerostomia in patients with advanced cancer: a scoping review of clinical features and complications. BMC Palliative Care (2023).
- Oral symptoms in dying nursing home patients. Results from the prospective REDIC study. BMC Oral Health (2024).
- Oral symptom assessment tools in patients with advanced cancer: a scoping review. Supportive Care in Cancer (2022).
- MASCC/ISOO expert opinion on the management of oral problems in patients with advanced cancer. Supportive Care in Cancer (2022).
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