Number of teeth in relation to oral health behaviour in dentate elderly patients in Lithuania

Abstract

Aim: To describe oral self-care practices and the use of dental services among dentate elderly patients attending public dental service in Kédainiai, Lithuania, and relate these parameters to the number of remaining teeth.

Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire study.

Setting: Two public dental offices in Kédainiai, Lithuania.

Participants: Dentate patients aged 60+.

Methods: A self-administered questionnaire covering oral hygiene practices, use of sugar, utilisation of dental services, and number of teeth. Age, gender, and education served as background factors.

Results: In all, 174 dentate elderly people responded, their mean age being 69.2 years (CI 95% 68.2-70.2) and mean number of teeth reported 16.2 (CI 95% 15.4-17.1). Of these respondents, 30% reported that they brushed their teeth twice daily and 57% that they always used fluoridated tooth paste. Having 21+ teeth was strongly associated (p < 0.001) with these habits, with brushing in the evening, and with enrolment in higher education, but not with gender. After controlling for various self-care and background factors, frequent tooth brushing remained as the only significant factor in the logistic regression model (OR 2.0, CI 95% 1.2-3.3, p = 0.01) to explain subjects' retention of 21+ teeth.

Conclusions: Elderly Lithuanians' oral self-care is far from meeting recommendations. To preserve their natural teeth, dentate elderly people should improve their oral self-care practices, in particular as regards tooth brushing. To reach that goal, all efforts by the community and dental profession are welcomed.