the intervention had a positive effect on oral hygiene, however the number of teeth with plaque remained high, even after the intervention. Multiple approaches based on individual needs are required to improve the oral health of vulnerable older adults, including integrating dental preventive care into daily care plan carried out by home care nurses.

Background: Malnutrition, polypharmacy and poor oral health are major concerns among older people living at home, and they contribute to disability and care dependency. This article describes the study protocol of the Nutrition, Oral Health and Medication (NutOrMed) intervention study. Methods/design: This study was a population-based multidisciplinary intervention study. The NutOrMed study sample included home care clients aged 75 years or over living in Eastern and Central Finland. All the participants (n = 275) were interviewed at home at the baseline and after a 6-month intervention. The primary outcomes are nutritional status, oral health status and factors associated with them. These measures were administered at the baseline and after a 6-month follow-up. Agreement between in-home interviews and electronic medical records regarding drug use was checked at the baseline.