title: Oral mucosal lesions in elderly dental patients in Sana'a, Yemen.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  With aging, the oral mucosa becomes more susceptible to external stimuli. The aims of this study were to obtain baseline data on the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions (OMLs) in a population of elderly Yemeni patients and to investigate differences in the presentation of these findings in relation to age, gender, education level, and the wearing of dentures.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prevalence of OMLs was assessed by clinical examination of a sample of 310 elderly Yemeni patients aged 60 years and older. A single examiner performed detailed oral examinations of the oral cavity according to international criteria and the World Health Organization codes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of OMLs was 77.1%, with a significant difference (P < 0.05) between men (80.3%) and women (69.6%). The prevalence rate of OMLs indicated a significant decrease with advancing age. The most frequently observed lesions were fissured tongue (34.2%), benign tumors (17.1%), hairy tongue (16.5%), and qat-induced white lesions (12.6%). Hairy tongue, qat-induced white lesions, and shammah keratosis were associated with men (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, and P < 0.05, respectively), whereas geographic tongue was associated with women (P < 0.05). The presence of one or more lesions was significantly associated with low education level (P < 0.05). Certain OMLs showed a significant association with smoking and qat chewing (P < 0.05). No association was found between the occurrence of OMLs and denture wearing (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study has shown a high prevalence of oral lesions among Yemeni elders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, Al-Farabi Colleges of Dentistry and Nursing, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Sadeq Ali
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Al-Maweri
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Sana'a University, Sana'a, Yemen.
authors.forename: Aisha Ahmed
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Jamaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Surgery, Al-Kuwait Teaching Hospital, Sana'a, Yemen.
authors.forename: Ghadah A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Al-Sufyani
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, Al-Farabi Colleges of Dentistry and Nursing, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Bassel
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tarakji
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, Al-Farabi Colleges of Dentistry and Nursing, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Bassam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shugaa-Addin
keywords: Elderly; Yemen; oral lesions; prevalence