Geriatric dentistry in palliative care: a systematic review

Abstract

This systematic review aimed to identify the role of geriatric dentistry in end-of-life palliative care by synthesizing the published scientific literature on the topic and analyzing its significance and contributions. Following PRISMA guidelines, this study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024529548). Comprehensive electronic searches were conducted in the MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus databases using the terms "Dental Care for the Elderly" and "Palliative Care," supplemented by meticulous manual searches. A total of 215 studies were initially retrieved, and 10 were meticulously selected based on the inclusion criteria. The results underscore the importance of multi/interdisciplinary collaboration and emphasize the need for performance improvement strategies in geriatric dentistry within palliative care settings. Although the scientific production in this area remains limited, dental interventions are demonstrated to be crucial, with various successful approaches well-documented. Current research strongly suggests that geriatric dentistry is an indispensable component of comprehensive palliative care, given that the oral cavity is significantly affected by the aging process.