Seoul’s Gangseo-gu (led by District Mayor Jin Kyo-hoon) will run an oral health class titled “Strong Teeth, Chew Away Dementia” over three days from July 7 to 9 at the Gangseo-gu Dementia Care Center (371 Hwagok-ro), holding a total of 10 sessions for some 150 seniors living with dementia or mild cognitive impairment. Designed to protect seniors’ “chewing strength” and brain health at the same time as the district enters a super-aged society, the program is built around hands-on, participatory practice that goes beyond classroom theory to build the ability to manage one’s own oral health.
 [코리안투데이] A scene from the senior oral health class at the Gangseo-gu Public Health Center © 송정숙 기자 |
The program’s defining feature is a tailored approach that breaks down each senior’s condition in detail. The district divides participants into groups such as mild cognitive impairment, general dementia and early-onset dementia, offering each a curriculum matched to their cognitive state and individual characteristics. Because cognitive levels and self-care abilities vary widely even among people with the same diagnosis, officials say a one-size-fits-all curriculum makes it hard to translate lessons into real changes in daily habits — a concern the design reflects. Professor Jang Hyo-suk, an academic director of the Korean Association of Dental Health for Dementia and an adjunct professor in the Department of Dental Hygiene at Hanyang Women’s University, has been invited as an instructor to lend her expertise.
Behind the emphasis on oral care lies the understanding that oral health in old age is not simply a matter of “teeth.” As people age and their oral condition deteriorates, they become prone to nutritional imbalances because they cannot chew food properly, and the risk grows of fatal secondary conditions such as aspiration pneumonia, which occurs when bacteria in the mouth pass into the airway. The district plans to provide detailed guidance in the classes on proper brushing techniques as well as the use of oral care products and dentures.
The program also focuses on the fact that the act of chewing itself is tied to brain health. Properly chewing food — the act of mastication — is known to increase blood flow to the brain and play a positive role in slowing cognitive decline. Accordingly, the district will intensively run hands-on “mouth and tongue exercises” that strengthen the muscles inside the mouth, helping seniors enjoy chewing while looking after their cognitive health. Because the training alternates between theory and practice so that participants learn with their bodies, officials expect it to carry over naturally into everyday self-care even after the classes end.
Gangseo-gu District Mayor Jin Kyo-hoon said, “The oral health of seniors with dementia is directly linked to their quality of life, so systematic management is essential,” adding, “We will attend to them carefully with detailed support tailored to each patient’s characteristics, so that seniors with dementia can eat well and stay healthy.” Through the classes, the district aims to lay the groundwork for preventive care that slows both the decline of oral function and cognitive decline together.
For more information about the program, residents can contact the Pharmaceutical Affairs Division of the Gangseo-gu Public Health Center (☎02-2600-5968) or the Gangseo-gu Dementia Care Center (☎02-3663-0943).
 [코리안투데이] A scene from the senior oral health class at the Gangseo-gu Public Health Center © 송정숙 기자 |
송정숙 기자 (gangseo@thekoreantoday.com)
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