Dental status and oral hygiene habits of an elderly population

Older dentate adults are a high caries risk group with a lot of unmet treatment needs and low dental attendance in many countries. They might be reluctant to attend a dentist for reasons such as cost and anxiety/fear. Knowing their oral health status and its impact on their quality of life is extremely important in order to plan effective preventive programmes. Objectives: To assess the oral health status of a population of community-dwelling older adults and to determine their attitudes towards their oral health and the impact of oral conditions on their quality of life. Methods: Independently living Irish adults who were over 65 years of age were recruited in a geriatric hospital and a community centre. They were examined and answered a questionnaire about their oral hygiene and dental attendance habits together with an OHIP-14 questionnaire and self-reported dry mouth symptoms. The dental examination included recording data using DMFT (Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth), and, presence of plaque using the MPS index. Results: Ninety nine patients participated in the study, 46 males and 53 females with a mean age of 73.18 (65-90). They presented with a mean DMFT of 27.0, with decayed, missing and filled teeth accounting for 3.06, 16.17 and 7.78 of the total DMFT score, respectively. The majority of patients (54.1%) presented large quantities of plaque and reported some degree of dry mouth (68%). 63.3% stated they brush their teeth twice a day and 57.1% had their last dental visit motivated by pain or discomfort. The mean OHIP score was 7.38. Conclusions: Older adults may present with high DMFT and large quantities of dental plaque. They might not perform oral hygiene adequately and could benefit from a dental caries preventive programme, ultimately avoiding tooth loss and its impact on their quality of life.