Prevalence of demand for dentures in Korean elderly receiving governmental support funds / 대한구강보건학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate the status of elderly dentures wearers and to understand the relationship between elderly welfare recipients and general elderly Koreans. METHODS: A total of 3,810 subjects (3,458 general elderly and 352 elderly welfare recipients) over 65 years who participated in the Forth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were examined. Oral examinations were conducted to ascertain those that were wearing dentures and those that needed dentures. A questionnaire measured chewing ability, concern about oral health, oral health behaviors, pronunciation ability and socio-demographic characteristics. The statistical analysis was done by using the SPSS 19.0 program. RESULTS: In the elderly welfare recipients, 28.2% was maxillary and 19.2% was mandible complete dentures and 36.0% had unmet denture treatment needs. In the general elderly, 21.7% was maxillary and 13.9% was mandible complete dentures and 24.3% had unmet denture treatment needs. The unmet denture treatment need in elderly welfare recipients was significantly higher than the general elderly after adjusting for other covariates. CONCLUSIONS: A denture service program is necessary for the elderly welfare recipients' oral health.