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


METHODS
Cross-sectional questionnaire study.


METHODS
Two public dental offices in Kédainiai, Lithuania.


METHODS
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.
Vysniauskaité
Sonata
S
Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. sonata.vysniauskaite@helsinki.fi
Kammona
Nagham
N
Vehkalahti
Miira M
MM
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000379:methods*; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000379:methods