The Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT)
Person: _________________________________ Completed by: ________ /________ / ________ Date: ________ /________ / ________
Scores - You can circle individual words as well as giving a score in each category.
| Category | 0 = Healthy | 1 = Changes | 2 = Unhealthy | Category Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lips | smooth, pink, moist | dry, chapped, or red at corners | welling or lump, white/red ulcerated patch, bleeding/ulcerated at corners | |
| Tongue | normal, moist, roughness, pink | patchy, fissured, red, coated | patch that is red &/or white, ulcerated, swollen | |
| Gums and tissues | pink, moist, smooth, no bleeding | dry, shiny, rough, red, swollen, one ulcer/sore spot under dentures | swollen, bleeding, ulcers, white/red patches, generalized redness under dentures | |
| Saliva | moist tissues, watery and free-flowing saliva | dry, sticky tissues, little saliva present, person thinks they have a dry mouth | tissues parched and red, very little/no saliva present, saliva is thick, person thinks they have a dry mouth | |
| Natural teeth
Yes / No |
no decayed or broken teeth/roots | 1-3 decayed or broken teeth/roots or very worn-down teeth | 4+ decayed or broken teeth/roots, or very worn-down teeth, or less than 4 teeth | |
| Dentures
Yes / No |
no broken areas or teeth, dentures regularly worn, and named | 1 broken area/tooth or dentures only worn for 1-2 hrs daily, or dentures not named, or loose | more than 1 broken area/tooth, denture missing or not worn, loose and needs denture adhesive, or not named | |
| Oral cleanliness | clean and no food particles or tartar in mouth or dentures | food particles/tartar/plaque in 1-2 areas of the mouth or on small area of dentures, or halitosis (bad breath) | food particles/tartar/plaque in most areas of the mouth or on most of dentures, or severe halitosis (bad breath) | |
| Dental pain | no behavioral, verbal, or physical signs of dental pain | are verbal &/or behavioral signs of pain such as pulling at face, chewing lips, not eating, aggression | are physical pain signs (swelling of cheek or gum, broken teeth, ulcers), as well as verbal &/or behavioral signs (pulling at face, not eating, aggression) | |
| TOTAL SCORE
/16 |
____ Refer the person to have a dental examination by a dentist
____ Person or family/guardian refuses dental treatment
____ Complete Oral Health Care Plan and start oral hygiene care interventions for the person
____ Review this person's oral health again on (date): ________ /________ / ________
This form comprises the Oral Health Assessment Tool. Click here to download a printable copy.
Oral Hygiene Care Plan (Chalmers, 2004 for use by the Iowa Geriatric Education Center; reviewed by Marchini, 2016; Review 2023)