Extended dental services to provide oral health promotion text messages for older patients - OHP-TOP study

Abstract

The improved longevity of patient's teeth, in an increasingly ageing population, has resulted in an increase in the demand for dental care amongst the older populace in order to maintain good oral health (Hill et al., 2013; Watt et al., 2013). According to the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS), life expectancy at birth in 2011 almost doubled that of 1841, and has been predicted to increase, over the next 30 years. Latest estimates show that there were 11.8 million UK residents aged 65 and above in 2018 (Office for National Statistics, 2018). In 2014, healthy life expectancy (or the proportion of life lived in good health) was docked around 65 years of age; opposed to life longevity, which was recorded at nearly 80 years of age (Public Health England, 2017). This suggests that both men and women are living a longer proportion of life in poor health (Manton, 1982;