Oral health status in an institutionalised elderly Jewish population

The oral health status and treatment needs of 95 institutionalised elderly Jewish persons were determined. The mean DMFT was 23.4, with the M component increasing with age. Untreated carious lesions were identified in men and women of all ages. A relatively small percentage (10.5%) of subjects were affected by root caries. In 75% of cases of identified periodontal disease, the condition presented as bleeding or calculus. All subjects were in need of oral hygiene instruction and 64 (67.3%) required scaling and root planing. Complex treatment formed only a small percentage of the overall treatment needs. A low prevalence of temporomandibular joint problems, denture stomatitis and angular cheilitis was noted. A relatively high prevalence of untreated oral disease of low severity was observed, indicating the need for a comprehensive form of preventive and basic oral care.