TRANSLATIONAL AND CLINICAL MEDICINE - Georgian Medical Journal

The world's population is aging. According to the World Health Organization's forecast, by 2050 the number of people aged 60 and older will double. Along with the increase in life expectancy, it is natural that the risk of chronic diseases and oral health-related problems also increases, which may have a significant impact on a person's overall condition and quality of life.[i] The proportion of individuals aged 65 years and older is rapidly increasing worldwide, caring for the oral health of older adults has become a pressing public health issue. In elderly patients, oral conditions such as edentulism, as well as damage to the hard and soft tissues of the teeth, are common and are often associated with the presence of comorbid general systemic diseases. At the same time, elderly patients may have limited mobility, which further complicates access to dental services.[ii] [iii] In this article, we will discuss ways to assist the elderly population throughქ the help of telemedicine and artificial intelligence models, which have already been created in several countries around the world and are actively undergoing a period of development.[iv]

By using artificial intelligence and telemedicine, it is possible to improve the dental status of elderly patients, as these are tools that can replace the consultation provided by a doctor, identify diagnoses, and outline ways for the prevention of various types of diseases. These means can be considered as instruments for improving access to dental services, which will be used in the future to strengthen disease prevention.[v] [vi] With the help of artificial intelligence models, a patient can detect oral diseases at an early stage, regardless of their ability to visit a clinic for professional consultation and early diagnosis based on their socio-economic status. Today, it is already possible to receive a doctor's advice without leaving home and monitor the treatment process; this will especially help rural residents and beneficiaries of nursing homes.[vii]

This literature review relies on the latest studies, which discuss the use of artificial intelligence and telemedicine in gerodontology (geriatric dentistry). The aim of the research is to explore how these innovations can improve oral health outcomes and, ultimately, enhance the quality of life for older adults.[viii]

Oral health underpins full nutrition, speech, and social confidence. Its neglect contributes to the development of such serious systemic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory infections.[ix]

Kandelman D., Petersen P.E., Ueda H. (2008). Oral health, general health, and quality of life in older people. Special Care in Dentistry.

Mariño R., Schofield M. (2018). Barriers to oral healthcare for older adults. Gerodontology.

Zitzmann N.U., Joda T. (2019). Digital dentistry and geriatric oral healthcare. Clinical Oral Investigations.

Rafi S. Artificial intelligence and telemedicine in elderly healthcare: A mixed-methods study. BMC Geriatr. 2025 Dec 16;26(1):71. doi: 10.1186/s12877-025-06872-y. PMID: 41402744; PMCID: PMC12822012.

Schwendicke F., Samek W., Krois J. (2020). Artificial intelligence in dentistry: chances and challenges. Journal of Dental Research.

Estai M., Kanagasingam Y., Xiao D., et al. (2018). A systematic review of the research evidence for the benefits of teledentistry. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare.

Jampani N.D., Nutalapati R., Dontula B., Boyapati R. (2011). Applications of teledentistry: a literature review. Journal of International Society of Preventive and Community Dentistry.

Petersen P.E., Yamamoto T. (2005). Improving the oral health of older people: the approach of the WHO Global Oral Health Programme. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology.

Kandelman D., Petersen P.E., Ueda H. (2008). Oral health, general health, and quality of life in older people. Special Care in Dentistry

Kuti BP. Schooling and Nigerian Children with Asthma: A Review of Challenges, Risk and Prospects. Niger J Clin Pract. 2021 Sep;24(9):1268-1276. doi: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_156_20. PMID: 34531336.

Schwendicke F., Samek W., Krois J. (2020). Artificial intelligence in dentistry: chances and challenges. Journal of Dental Research.

Caritá AC, Resende de Azevedo J, Vinícius Buri M, Bolzinger MA, Chevalier Y, Riske KA, Ricci Leonardi G. Stabilization of vitamin C in emulsions of liquid crystalline structures. Int J Pharm. 2021 Jan 5;592:120092. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2020.120092. Epub 2020 Nov 16. PMID: 33212173.

Kapoor C, Wadhwan V, Vaidya S, Malik S. Triology of nitric oxide, mast cell and stress in pathogenesis of oral lichen planus. J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2013 May;17(2):156-62. doi: 10.4103/0973-029X.119741. PMID: 24250071; PMCID: PMC3830219.

Bhandari, B., et al. (2022). Artificial intelligence in the early diagnosis of oral cancer. Journal of Oral Biology and Craniofacial Research.

Revilla-León, M., et al. (2021). Artificial intelligence applications in implant dentistry: A systematic review. Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry.

Meurle, Tobias, Johannes Knaus, Agustin Barbano, Katharina Hoenes, Barbara Spellerberg, and Martin Hessling. 2021. "Photoinactivation of Staphylococci with 405 nm Light in a Trachea Model with Saliva Substitute at 37 °C" Healthcare 9, no. 3: 310. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9030310

Giraudeau, N., et al. (2021). Teledentistry for the elderly: A new way to provide oral health care. International Dental Journal.

Schuchardt D, Rosenfeldt S, Kalo H, Breu J. Fabrication of Bragg stack films of clay nanosheets and polycations via co-polymerization of intercalated monomers and functional interlayer cations. Nanoscale. 2023 Apr 13;15(15):7044-7050. doi: 10.1039/d3nr00438d. PMID: 36974910.

Javadi S.K.H.S., Jamieson L., Nouri A., et al. (2025)

Nouri, S., et al. (2020). Digital Health Literacy in Older Adults: Key for Equity. The Lancet Digital Health

Chalmers, J. M., Carter, K. D., & Spencer, A. J.

Pilch S, Williams MI, Cummins D. Effect of a triclosan/PVM/MA copolymer/fluoride dentifrice on volatile sulfur compounds in vitro. Oral Dis. 2005;11 Suppl 1:57-60. doi: 10.1111/j.1601-0825.2005.01093. x. PMID: 15752101.

Kandelman, D., Petersen, P. E., & Ueda, H.

Pathak P, Baird MA, Shvartsburg AA. Identification of Isomers by Multidimensional Isotopic Shifts in High-Field Ion Mobility Spectra. Anal Chem. 2018 Aug 7;90(15):9410-9417. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b02057. Epub 2018 Jul 27. PMID: 29969234.

Tonetti MS, Greenwell H, Kornman KS. Staging and grading of periodontitis: Framework and proposal of a new classification and case definition. J Periodontol. 2018 Jun;89 Suppl 1:S159-S172. doi: 10.1002/JPER.18-0006. Erratum in: J Periodontol. 2018 Dec;89(12):1475. doi: 10.1002/jper.10239. PMID: 29926952.

Joda T., Bornstein M.M., Jung R.E., Ferrari M., Waltimo T., Zitzmann N.U. (2019). Recent trends and future direction of digital dentistry. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Javadi S.K.H.S., Jamieson L., Nouri A., et al. (2025). Digital health technologies for enhancing oral health in older adults. Gerodontology.

Fujimori J, Nakashima I, Fujihara K, Misu T, Sato S, Itoyama Y. Epitope analysis of cerebrospinal fluid IgG in Japanese multiple sclerosis patients using phage display method. Mult Scler Int. 2011; 2011:353417. doi: 10.1155/2011/353417. Epub 2011 Nov 10. PMID: 22132333; PMCID: PMC3216389.

Lee K.H., Choi Y.Y., Jung E.S. (2023). Effectiveness of an oral health education programme using a mobile application for older adults. Gerodontology.

Zitzmann N.U., Joda T. (2019). Digital dentistry and geriatric oral healthcare. Clinical Oral Investigations.

Tonetti MS, Greenwell H, Kornman KS. Staging and grading of periodontitis: Framework and proposal of a new classification and case definition. J Periodontol. 2018 Jun;89 Suppl 1:S159-S172. doi: 10.1002/JPER.18-0006. Erratum in: J Periodontol. 2018 Dec;89(12):1475. doi: 10.1002/jper.10239. PMID: 29926952.

Estai M., Bunt S., Kanagasingam Y., Tennant M. (2016). Diagnostic accuracy of teledentistry in the detection of dental caries. Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice.

Daniel S.J., Kumar S. (2014). Teledentistry: a key component in access to care. Journal of Evidence Based Dental Practice.

Chalmers J.M., Carter K.D., Spencer A.J. (2005). Oral diseases and conditions in community-living older adults. Australian Dental Journal.