title: [A survey of oral health status of the elderly individuals in Chengdu of China].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this survey is to investigate the oral health status of the oldsters over 65-year-old in Chengdu of China.
  
  
  METHODS
  The oral health status, including oral hygiene, caries, periodontal diseases and the tooth loss of 468 elderly individuals over 65 years old were surveyed and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that all these older individuals brushed their teeth everyday, but most of them had tooth decay, gingivitis and periodontitis. About 7.47% of them were edentulous, and 2.56% of them were half edentulous. The masticatory ability of most of them declined and the chewing ability of them was low.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The oral health status of these elderly individuals in Chengdu is poor. It is therefore necessary to improve the health status of this population.
authors.affiliation: College of Stomatology, West China University of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009909:Oral Health; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*