Table 3.

Oral health in terms of the Revised Oral Assessment Guide among older people (n = 390) in short‐term care based on clinical assessment by dental hygienists

Item Category	Grade 1 Findings N (%)	Grade 2 N (%)	Grade 3 N (%)
Voice	Normal 252 (65.1)	Dry, hoarse, smacking 112 (28.9)	Difficult to speak 23 (6.0)
Lips	Smooth; bright red; Moist 322 (83.4)	Dry, cracked, sore corners of the mouth 62 (16.1)	Ulcerated, bleeding 2 (0.5)
Mucous membranes	Bright red; moist 325 (85.8)	Red; dry or areas of discoloration, coating 52 (13.7)	Wounds, with or without bleeding, blisters 2 (0.5)
Tongue	Pink, moist with papillae 303 (78.7)	No papillae, red, dry coating 79 (20.5)	Ulcers with or without bleeding, blistering 3 (0.8)
Gums	Light red and solid 243 (71.1)	Swollen, reddened 93 (27.2)	Spontaneous bleeding 6 (1.7)
Teeth	Clean; no visible coating, food debris 137 (42.8)	Coating or food debris locally 146 (45.6)	Coating, food debris generally or broken teeth 37 (11.6)
Dentures	Clean; works 53 (39.0)	Coating or food debris 77 (56.6)	Not used or malfunctioning 6 (4.4)
Saliva	Glides easily 304 (78.4)	Glides sluggishly 78 (20.1)	Does not glide at all 6 (1.5)
Swallow	Unimpeded swallowing 287 (76.3)	Insignificant swallowing problems 66 (17.6)	Pronounced swallowing problems 23 (6.1)