The relative importance of tooth loss and denture wearing in Swedish adults

Having natural teeth is a matter of varying importance according to the priorities given to dental health status, compliance with recommendations and demand for dental care. The aim of this study was to assess the relative adjustment needed when one or more teeth are lost and when dentures are provided compared with other life events. The study was conducted as a mailed questionnaire to a sample of 311 20-70 year old subjects in the community of Jönköping. Seventy-five per cent of the sample, with a mean age of 43.2 years, responded. The Social Readjustment Rating Questionnaire, comprising 46 life events, was supplemented with two events concerning tooth loss and denture-wearing. The answers were given on a graphic rating scale with end points 'not difficult at all' and 'more difficult than anything' and coded by values 0 to 20. After calculation of mean values, the questions were rank ordered; the item with the highest mean was given the highest rank. 'Losing one or more teeth' was ranked 28.5 (means = 10.7) and 'getting dentures' 33 (means = 12.0) of the 48 life events investigated. This suggests that a majority of respondents perceived losing teeth and being provided with dentures as more important in terms of adjustment than events such as 'marriage', 'retirement' and 'changing work'. No significant differences in relation to age and sex were found.