title: [Dental health and the state of oral hygiene in an elderly population in Rome].
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate dental conditions and oral hygiene in a population of 369 elderly people residing in Rome--293 females and 76 males--aged between 60 and 99 years (mean 81.9 +/- 8.1). The sample was interviewed following a dental examination. Clinical tests revealed that 40% were totally edentulous, whereas subjects with natural teeth had a mean of 11.4, teeth, of which 1.5 were decayed. Oral hygiene habits were investigated by means of questions on use of dental tools (toothbrush, mouth-wash, dental floss), which were not much used. Moreover, many elderly people reported they had not been to the dentist's recently (86.2% during the last year) because they did not feel it necessary. From this study a rather low level of oral health has emerged, along with a limited knowledge of prevention for dental and periodontal diseases. These results show the need of dental treatment and prevention for the elderly population.
authors.affiliation: Libera Università Maria SS. Assunta, Roma.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Marazzi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palombi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scarcella
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: D'Arca
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D012384:Rome
vernacular_title: La salute dentale e i comportamenti di igiene orale in una popolazione anziana di Roma.