title: Oral health status in a group of the elderly population residing at home.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the oral health status and treatment needs of subjects aged 65 years and older residing in different districts of Ankara.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1300 patients, 751 females and 549 males, age 65 and over with a mean age of 72.8 ± 6.34 were included in this study. The subjects were visited at home and toothbrushing habits, visiting the dentist, tooth loss, denture needs were questioned and body mass index values were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  52.5% of the subjects were completely edentulous, 83.3% subjects reported wearing a removable denture. Females had a higher total tooth loss frequency when compared to males (p < 0.05). Total tooth loss between 65 and 69 ages was 47.3%, and increased to 62.4% among those aged 75 and over (p < 0.05). 16.2% of the subjects had not visited a dentist in the last 10 years, and only 3% visited a dentist for control check-ups; no gender-based difference was observed as to the frequency of dental visits (P > 0.05). No significant relationship was found between tooth loss and BMI values (P > 0.05). 46.3% of the subjects had chewing problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The subjects included in this study showed high tooth loss frequency and poor oral hygiene habits. Education regarding maintenance of oral hygiene and regular dental check up should be stressed for the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Haviye Erverdi
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Nazliel
authors.forename: Nur
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hersek
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozbek
authors.forename: Ergun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karaagaoglu
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003778:Dentures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000453:epidemiology; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology