Decayed, missing, and filled teeth among elderly people in a Norwegian municipality

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Dentistry
• Public Health Dentistry
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Oral health disparities exist among elderly populations, particularly between institutionalized and non-institutionalized individuals.
• Understanding the prevalence of dental caries and restorative status is crucial for targeted interventions.
• Previous research indicates varying oral health outcomes based on living conditions and age in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the prevalence of decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) among dentate, non-institutionalized, and institutionalized old-age pensioners.
• To analyze the impact of age, sex, and dental visiting habits on oral health status in these groups.
• To identify predictors for different dental health indicators (DT, MT, FT) in elderly pensioners.

Main Methods:

• A comparative cross-sectional study design was employed.
• A random sample of 430 non-institutionalized pensioners and all 38 dentate institutionalized pensioners from Skedsmo were assessed.
• Data on decayed teeth (DT), missing teeth (MT), filled teeth (FT), and DMFT were collected and analyzed, with multivariate models used to identify predictors.

Main Results:

• Non-institutionalized pensioners showed 48% untreated caries (DT=1.1) and 87% had fillings (FT=8.8), with a mean MT of 14.1.
• Institutionalized individuals exhibited higher DT, MT, and DMFT, but fewer FT compared to non-institutionalized counterparts.
• Age influenced oral health in non-institutionalized individuals (older adults had more MT, fewer FT), while sex differences emerged in the oldest age group (men had more DT, fewer FT).

Conclusions:

• Institutionalized elderly pensioners face greater challenges with untreated decay and tooth loss, necessitating tailored oral healthcare strategies.
• Dental visiting habits and age are significant determinants of tooth decay prevalence in elderly pensioners.
• The findings highlight the need for improved dental care access and preventive measures for institutionalized older adults to reduce oral health disparities.