Dental Visit Among the Elderly in Tehran, Iran, Urban-HEART-2 Study

Objectives: To evaluate dental visit and its determinants among the elderly aged 60 or more in Tehran, Iran, in 2011.
Methods: The data were taken from the Urban HEART-2 study, in 2011. Out of the data of 3713 subjects aged 60 years and more and having dental data, 3508 subjects were included in the present study with a response rate of 95%. Tehran has 368 neighborhoods and this survey was across a random selection of 22 districts. A multi-stage cluster sampling design was used in three levels of district, neighborhood and block with 8 households in each block. Five two-day workshops were organized to train 1240 surveyors (auxiliary health workers). Data on background information including age (years), gender (1=male, 2=female), education (1=illiterate, 2=under diploma, 3=diploma, 4=university educated), dental visit during last year (0, 1-2, and 3 or more) and mean numbers of teeth were reported during a guided interview. Ethics committees of IUMS and Tehran Urban Planning and Research Centre approved the present study. SPSS for Windows, Version 16.0 was used for statistical analysis. Differences between subgroups were evaluated by ANOVA for mean values, and chi-square for percentages. Linear regression analysis used to assess the role of independent factors on the number of teeth.
Results: The mean age of subjects was 68.7 (SD=7.0) years and 60% were men. Of all, 17% were current smokers and 15% (n=531) were edentate. Among dentate elderly (n=2977), mean number of teeth was 21 (SD=11), 46% had no dental visit, 38% one to two, and 16% three or more dental visits during last year. Dental visit was higher among elderly men (p=0.01) and those with a higher education (p=0.0001). Results of linear regression analysis showed having a higher number of teeth was less likely among older subjects and more likely among more educated subjects (Beta=1.79), and those having more dental visits (Beta=1.79).
Conclusions: Age, education and dental visit were associated with number of teeth.