The Copenhagen Oral Health Senior Cohort: design, population and dental health.
BACKGROUND
In order to study the way old age influence oral health, the Copenhagen Oral Health Senior Cohort (COHS) has been established.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the design, measurement procedures, and baseline values for COHS including spatial distribution of restorations and dental caries as well as reasons for non-participation.


METHODS
Seven hundred and eighty-three individuals aged 65 years or older, from a total of 1918 invited elderly people, underwent an interview regarding oral health-related behaviour and a clinical oral examination including measurement of unstimulated whole saliva flow rate.


RESULTS
Twelve percent of the COHS was edentulous. The number of dental restorations was higher for women compared to men; however, men had more caries than women. Coronal caries was most frequent on mesial and distal surfaces and on the maxillary incisors and canines; root caries was most frequent on labial surfaces and evenly distributed within the dentition. Only 41% of all invited elderly people accepted the invitation, with old age and poor health being the primary reasons for non-participation.


CONCLUSIONS
The baseline values for COHS show that a substantial proportion of the participants had retained a natural dentition and that dental caries was prevalent with the anterior maxillary teeth being most affected.
Copenhagen Gerontological Oral Health Research Centre, School of Dentistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Karen M
KM
Heegaard
Poul
P
Holm-Pedersen
Allan
A
Bardow
Ulla A
UA
Hvidtfeldt
Morten
M
Grønbaek
Kirsten
K
Avlund
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003481:Cuspid / Q000473:pathology; D003718:Denmark; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D009043:Motor Activity; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000453:epidemiology; D009909:Oral Health; D019338:Polypharmacy; D045808:Refusal to Participate / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017213:Root Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000502:physiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*