2.1. Study Sample
depression, death, edentulous, dementia
PLAQUE, SYNDROMES, INCONTINENCE, MALNUTRITION
The inclusion criteria for participation in this study were (1) hospitalization at the Clinic of Geriatric Medicine, Jena University Hospital, (2) a mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score ≥ 24 points, and (3) provision of informed consent. Inpatients aged ≥ 80 years are generally classified as geriatric. Inpatients older than 60 years are also hospitalized in geriatric wards if, in addition to multimorbidity, they also suffer from typical geriatric syndromes, such as immobility, fall-related injuries, incontinence, dementia, depression, and malnutrition. Sample size calculation was performed prior to inpatient enrolment. To achieve a statistical power of 80% for proving the superiority of the intervention group (IG) compared with the control group (CG) in plaque reduction, 43 inpatients were required in each group, 32 of whom needed to be dentate.Of the 2772 geriatric inpatients hospitalized during the study period, 1211 met the inclusion criteria. Of these eligible inpatients, only 165 consented to participate.Thirty-three and forty-two inpatients dropped out in the IG and CG, respectively, due to death, transfer to other hospitals, withdrawal of consent, quarantine, deteriorated general condition, or lack of willingness to continue participating in the study. The assignment to both groups was sequential. First, inpatients were assigned to the IG until the required number of dentate and edentulous inpatients was reached. Inpatients satisfying the matching criteria for sex and dentition status (dentate/edentulous) were then enrolled in the CG. Finally, data from 45 inpatients, 32 of whom were dentate, were included in each group. All inpatients provided written informed consent to participate and for access to their medical records. The inpatient enrolment procedure is illustrated in 