ABSTRACT:

 Aim: To assess the geriatric oral health using the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) before and after an oral health educational program. 

Subjects and method:  study was conducted in El-Wafaa and El- Amal elderly home, at Cairo, Egypt. Study was eighty-five (85) aging from 65 to 87 years old. Program phases were phases: I. Pilot study, II. Baseline assessment , III. Oral Health Education. IV. Reassessment after 3 months of the health educational session using the GOHAI. GOHAI contained 12 closed ended multiple choice questions which evaluating three dimensions of Oral health: 1. Physical function .2. Pain .3. Psycho-social function. The materials used in the study were presentation, poster, flyer and videos.

Results: before the program, the mean values for all responses ranged between 1.24 estimating the concern about teeth, gums and dentures, to 1.40 estimating the happiness with looks of teeth or dentures. While after study program the mean values for all responses ranged between 3.96 estimating the limitations during eating to 4.45 estimating the feeling of eating in front of others. The rate of change in the responses for the study was twice as high for all questions compared to the responses before applying the program.

Conclusion: most of the studied elderly had unsatisfactory knowledge and inadequate practice in pretest . Which were improved among the majority in posttest.

Recommendations: adding oral health course in educational curriculum of nursing institutes and faculties to increase oral health awareness.

 Key words: Elderly, Oral Health, GOHAI, OHRQoL