GERODONTOLOGY
TOOTH LOSS AND RISK FACTORS AMONG ELDERLY VIETNAMESE
Minh Son Nguyen 1, 2a, Ülle Voog-Oras 1b, Triin Jagomägi 1c, Toai Nguyen 3c, Jana Olak 1c, Mare Saag 1d *
1
Institute of Dentistry, University of Tartu, Estonia
2
Department of Prosthodontics, Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy, Da Nang, Vietnam
3
Odonto-Maxillo-Facial Department, Faculty of Stomatology, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue, Vietnam a
DDS, PhD student b
MD, PhD, Associate Professor c
DDS, PhD, Associate Professor d
DDS, PhD, Professor, Head of Institute of Dentistry
Received: Avril 11, 2016 Accepted: May 20, 2016
Cite this article: Nguyen MS, Voog-Oras Ü, Jagomägi T, Nguyen T, Olak J, Saag M. Tooth loss and risk factors among elderly Vietnamese. Stoma Edu J. 2016; 3( 2): 126-131.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Oral health care systems for older people tend to be reducing tooth loss and saving functional dentition. The elderly Vietnamese had to live under challenging conditions and were not entitled to any dental care for over 30 years due to the Vietnam War. The aim of the current study was to investigate tooth loss and related risk factors among elderly Vietnamese aged 65-74 years old. Methodology: The sample study was 258 elderly Vietnamese aged 65 – 74 years old. Each absent tooth was registered as a tooth loss. Risk factors were evaluated based on the Oral Health Questionnaire for adults( WHO, 2013). Results: The mean tooth loss for the sample was 7.6(± 7.0). 27.1 % of participants had lost 1 – 3 teeth, 23.6 % 4 – 6 teeth, 27.1 % 7 – 16 teeth and 13.6 % > 16 teeth; 8.5 % had full dentition. Within each category of predictors, a statistically higher number of lost teeth was found for: the 70-74 age group( Mean ± SD, 8.8 ± 7.9); rural residents( 8.8 ± 7.6); time in education ≤5 years( 10.2 ± 7.7); frequency of teeth cleaning ≤1 time / day( 8.7 ± 7.3); last visit to dentist > 1 year ago( 8.2 ± 7.5); tobacco smoking( 9.4 ± 7.6); no alcohol drinking( 8.3 ± 7.2). The odds of having > 6 lost teeth was significantly more frequent among elders with less time in education( OR = 2.2, p < 0.01) and tobacco smoking( OR = 2.8, p < 0.01). Conclusion: There are high prevalence and number of tooth loss among elderly Vietnamese. Smoking behaviour and time in education were significantly related to maintaining teeth of the elderly community population. Keywords: elderly, oral health, risk factors, tooth loss, Vietnamese.
1. Introduction
The World Health Organization( WHO) has called for improved oral health among the elderly who are most disposed to oral diseases, including tooth loss. It is estimated that no less than 90 % of the elders are influenced by tooth loss. 1 According to the WHO, the main aims of oral health care systems for older people are reducing tooth loss and saving functional dentition with at least 20 natural teeth. Tooth loss often has an adverse impact on quality of life and general health. 2, 3 Posterior tooth loss results in impaired masticatory performance and temporomandibular disorders, and anterior tooth loss influences social communication owing to reduced aesthetics. 3 – 6 Risk factors for tooth loss have been extensively studied. Among health behaviours, several studies have shown that tobacco smoking results in higher tooth loss. 7, 8 Others have found that insufficient income can impede oral health care leading to tooth loss. 5, 9 Also, the educational background may affect individuals’ perception of the importance of oral health behaviours and could be the primary cause of tooth loss among the elders. 2, 9, 10 During the twentieth century, Vietnam faced a large amount of hardship owing to the Vietnam War. Those born in pre-1951 had to live under challenging conditions and were not entitled to any dental care for over 30 years. Furthermore, as far as we know there have been no studies regarding tooth loss among the Vietnamese population. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate tooth loss and related risk factors among elderly Vietnamese aged 65-74 years old.
* Corresponding author: Professor Mare Saag, DDS, PhD, Head of Institute of Dentistry, University of Tartu Raekoja Plats 6, EE-51003 Tartu, Estonia Tel: + 3727319855, Fax: + 3727319856, e-mail: Mare. Saag @ ut. ee
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