title: Tooth loss occurring at a place other than a health-care facility: 72-month incidence.
abstract: Dental care can occur within or outside the formal health-care system. We hypothesized that certain subject characteristics would partly explain one type of dental self-care, non-professional extractions. A representative sample of diverse groups of dentate adults was studied. In-person interviews and clinical examinations were conducted at baseline, 24, 48, and 72 months, with semi-annual telephone interviews in between. Of 699 participants, 291 (42%) reported loss of at least one tooth, of whom 42 (14% of those with tooth loss) reported having lost the tooth at a place other than a health-care facility. Ninety-four percent of non-professionally lost teeth were self-extracted; relatives extracted the remainder. Fifty-eight percent of these teeth were deliberately removed; the remainder came out while subjects were eating or brushing their teeth, or due to injury. Attachment loss and mobility at previous examination were consistent with the occurrence of non-professional extraction. The incidence magnitude was substantive and persistent throughout follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, SDB Room 109, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0007, USA. ghg@uab.edu
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Shelton
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005190:Family; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000453:epidemiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology*