Dental status of women in a 24-year longitudinal and cross-sectional study. Results from a population study of women in Göteborg.
The aim of the study was to describe dental health status among middle-aged and elderly women over a 24-year period. Because of the design of the study it was possible to make both longitudinal and cross-sectional comparisons. The study started in 1968-69 with a combined medical and dental examination of women aged between 38 and 60 years. New dental examinations of these same women were performed in 1980-81 and again in 1992-93, and included new cohorts of 38-year-old women on both occasions. In the cross-sectional perspective, it was shown that the number of edentate individuals decreased significantly during the 24-year period. Among dentate women, the number of remaining teeth and restored teeth increased significantly cross-sectionally. However, the youngest age group, women of 38 years, showed a lower number of restored teeth in the latest study (in 1992-93). There was also a lower number of crowns, root-fillings, and pontics in the latest study for the youngest age group. The two older age groups studied cross-sectionally showed similar numbers in all studies. In the longitudinal study, there was a decrease with time in incidence of edentulism. Among the dentate women in the longitudinal study the number of restored teeth related to those remaining was high (range 76-90%) and did not change much between the studies in the different age groups. There was a clear tendency during the 24-year period in all age groups for more teeth to be restored with crowns rather than different fillings. In conclusion, this population study, with a follow-up of 24 years, shows that dental status improved in that fewer individuals lost all their teeth and younger age groups have more remaining teeth and fewer restorations than previously.
Ahlqwist
M
M
Department of Oral Diagnostic Radiology, Göteborg University, Sweden. Margareta. Ahlqwist@adm.gu.se
Bengtsson
C
C
Hakeberg
M
M
Hägglin
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003442:Crowns / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000044:Dental Abutments / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology