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
126 STOMA . EDUJ ( 2016 ) 3 ( 2 )