Analysis of Oral Health Status for the Elderly

This study aims to analyze the oral health status of the elderly. Study subjects were 9,340 elderly aged over 65 who took the health examination (the first) for the local insured when the National Health Insurance Corporation carried out its survey from January to December, 2002. The subjects took an oral examination and filled in the questionnaire. Major results from the analysis are as follows: 1. Analysis of Oral Health Behavior For oral health behavior, 38.2％ of total subjects had visited a dental hospital (or clinic) in the last one year in the order of the elderly of big cities (48.3％), the elderly of medium cities (43.9％), and the elderly of rural areas (29.0％)(P<0.001). Elderly men had a higher rate than elderly women, and the younger age had a higher rate(P<0.01). For experience of oral prophylaxis, 12.3％ of the total elderly had experienced it in the order of the elderly of big cities (18.8％), the elderly of medium cities (16.0％), and the elderly of rural areas (6.4％) (P<0.001). For elderly men, the younger age had a higher rate of oral prophylaxis. The number of toothbrushing in order was twice(47.5％), once (26.7％), three times (25.0％), and none (0.7％). The younger age brushed their teeth more often (P<0.001). 2. Analysis of Oral Health Status The rate of caries was 10.6％ of the elderly surveyed. By area, the elderly of rural areas had a higher rate of caries than the elderly of cities (p<0.001) and elderly men were higher than elderly women (p<0.001). By age, many elderly aged over 80 had more than two caries. For missing teeth, the elderly of rural areas had a higher rate than the elderly of cities (p<0.001) and the older age had a higher rate(p<0.001). The rate of periodontal disease was 43.2％ of the total elderly. By area, the elderly of big cities (46.2％) had a higher rate of periodontal disease than the elderly of medium cities (39.4％) and rural areas (43.6％)(p<0.001), and elderly men (46.4％) were higher than elderly women (40.2％)(p<0.001). By age, the lower age had a higher rate of peridontal disease (p<0.001). Dental abrasion was observed in 16.9％ of the total elderly. The elderly of cities (21.0％) had a higher rate than the elderly of rural areas (12.0％)(p<0.001) and elderly men (21.3％) were higher than elderly women (12.8％)(p<0.001). Also the lower age had more dental abrasion symptoms (p<0.001). For needing a denture, the rate among the elderly was 48.5％ and was higher for the elderly of rural areas(20.9％), than the elderly of big cities(7.0％) and medium cities (10.5％)(p<0.001). For the rate of denture wearing, the elderly of rural areas(41.8％) were higher than the elderly of big cities (27.7％) and medium cities (28.2％ )(p<0.001). For the relation of drinking and smoking to oral health, the elderly who had a higher frequency of drinking, had a higher rate of caries (p<0.001)periodontal disease(p<0.001) and missing teeth(p<0.001) Smokers had a higher rate of caries (p<0.001), periodontal disease (p<0.05), and missing teeth (p<0.001) than nonsmokers.