First-time dental care and the most recent dental treatment in relation to utilisation of dental services among dentate elderly patients in Lithuania.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the initial dental treatments of Lithuanian dentate elderly patients and the content of the most recent treatment in relation to their dentist-visiting behaviour.


METHODS
A cross-sectional questionnaire study was carried out at two public dental offices in Kédainiai, Lithuania, among dentate patients aged 60+ years. A self-administered questionnaire covered first-time dental care, the most recent dental treatment, check-up behaviour, interval since the most recent dental visit, and number of teeth. Age, gender and education served as background information. Statistical evaluation was by chi-squared test, anova and logistic regression for odds ratio (OR).


RESULTS
In all, 174 dentate elderly responded, mean age being 69.2 (SD = 6.6) years. The mean age at the first visit was 16.3 years [95% confidence interval (CI) 14.9-17.6]. Regular dental check-ups were reported by 30%, and 36% had visited a dentist within the past 12 months. As to the content of the most recent treatment, 78% of the elderly reported filling therapy, 50% endodontics, 48% tooth extraction, 21% radiography, 10% cleaning or scaling and 6% polishing of fillings. Those going for check-ups were more likely to report diagnostic (OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.1-2.8; p = 0.01) and preventive (OR 4.8; 95% CI 2.5-9.0; p = 0.002) treatment when analysed by a logistic regression model, controlling for age, gender, education and number of teeth.


CONCLUSIONS
Check-up-orientated utilisation of dental services should be encouraged among the Lithuanian elderly. Dentists and health officials should place greater emphasis on prevention.
Vysniauskaité
Sonata
S
Department of Oral Public Health, Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland. sonata.vysniauskaite@helsinki.fi
Vehkalahti
Miira M
MM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors