Oral health patterns in a Swedish county population aged 65 and above

The aims of the study were to survey oral health and related conditions in the population of non-institutionalized elderly people in Orebro County, Sweden, and to analyze the relative importance of certain factors within the oral health pattern. A random sample was taken of 500 non-institutionalized individuals, stratified according to age (65-74/75+) and residence (densely-populated areas/rest of county). Out of these subjects 305 were examined clinically; 158 interviewed by telephone. Totally 46% were edentulous; 35% in age group 65-74, 63% in age group 75+; 36% of the men were edentulous, 53% of the women. The lowest prevalence of edentulousness (9%) was found among married/cohabiting men in group 65-74 years, densely-populated areas. The mean number of remaining teeth in dentulous subjects was 17.1 in group 65-74 densely-populated areas; 10.1 in group 75+ rest of county. Regarding dental status the group 65-74 densely-populated areas consistently showed the best values, the group 75+ rest of county consistently showed the poorest values. Two subgroups diverged from the general pattern: the men in group 65-74 rest of county often showed poorer values than the others in aged 65-74; the men in group 75+ densely-populated areas often showed better values than the others aged 75+. The periodontal conditions were good or fairly good. Only 4% of the teeth had periodontal pockets 6 mm or deeper. Measured radiographically, about half of the teeth had 80% or more of the original bone level intact; 87% of the teeth had 60% or more of the original bone level remaining. Only 28% of the subjects had no periapical destruction. Ten percent of the teeth showed periapical destructions - 27% of root filled teeth; 6% in teeth without root fillings. Eighteen percent of the teeth were root filled - 27% of maxillary teeth, 11% of mandibular teeth. The root fillings were evaluated "not acceptable" in 69% of the teeth. Periapical destructions were more frequent in teeth with "not acceptable" root fillings as compared to those "acceptable" root filled. Socio-economic conditions were highly correlated with a number of dental parameters. In men those who were not married or cohabiting showed the poorest values; in women the differences were smaller but the highest prevalence of edentulousness was found in widows.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)