Not chewing food among the Thai elderly with complete denture.

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to investigate the use of a complete denture in terms of not chewing food and determining the strength of association between not chewing food and several potential risk factors among the Thai elderly. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Under the support of the "Khao Aroi" or "Delicious Rice" or "Dental Implant" Project of Institute of Dentistry, Department of Medical Services, Ministry of Public Health, and in co-operation with the Ministry of Science and Technology during 2007-2011, a cross-sectional survey by multi-stage cluster sampling was conducted in 2008, in 21 provinces, 87 hospitals, with 2,676 Thai elderly. The sample was drawn from a sampling frame of 58,043 target Thai people aged 60 years and over under the Dental Prosthesis Service Campaign (DPSC) project during 2005 and 2007. All Thai elderly, who received a complete denture from the DPSC project at least three months prior were surveyed from May to October 2008 through questionnaires. Data were analyzed by a set of descriptive analyses and binary logistic regression models. RESULTS: Not chewing food among the Thai elderly, after receiving a complete denture, was 12.5%, quite a bit more effective than ordinary work. Nontaluck found 38% for the proportion not wearing dentures in the 30-baht health care program. This finding is confirmed by the work of Dalodom et al that the use of dentures by Thai elderly was 93% in the DPSC project. The important risk factors that influenced not to chew food were satisfaction with dentures, patients satisfaction with the denture fitting and care, while controlling the amount of dentures, respectively. CONCLUSION: Satisfaction of patients with their dentures, good oral health care in fitting denture work, and good communication between dentists and patients are important keys affecting the use of dentures.

Oral health status in the elderly priests in Bangkok.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the oral health status of the elderly priests in Bangkok. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The elderly priests aged 60 and over in Bangkok were clinically examined at Priest Hospital using methods recommended by the World Health Organization. Information on oral health behavior was obtained via questionnaires. RESULTS: A totally of 714 elderly aged 60 years and above (mean = 69.5 +/- 6.7) were examined. About 13.2% were edentulous. The mean DMFT score was 16.9 (DT=2.6, MT= 13.2, FT= 1.0). The mean number of DMFT and MT increased according to age, with MT dominating in the DMFT index. The prevalence of decayed and filled root among the elderly priests was 10.6 with the mean DFT-root at 0.3. The percentage of the elderly priests with shallow and deep periodontal pockets decreased with age from 42.5% to 21.2% among the elderly aged 60-74 and 75 and above, respectively. Obviously, tooth loss became a problem among the elderly priest. 13.2% of the participated priests were edentulous. The mean number of remaining teeth was 18.6 teeth person. This figure decreased with age. Only half of the elderly aged 60-74 and one-third of the older aged 75 years and more had functional teeth at least 20 natural teeth. In addition, the elderly priest needed more extraction for 2.2 teeth per person. CONCLUSION: Tooth loss or tooth mortality amongst the elderly priest in Bangkok should be a concern in the situation where the elderly has a trend to live longer. To manage tooth loss problem, prevention and treatment of dental caries and periodontal disease were needed. Effective oral health education and regular dental checkups should be emphasized.

Caries and periodontal experience among 998 priests and novices in Bangkok.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was cross-sectional survey aiming to describe oral health status in terms of caries and periodontal experience and oral health behavior of 998 priests in Bangkok. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The 998 priests, aged 12-92, from 28 temples in Bangkok were clinically examined at Priest Hospital using WHO methodology. Information on oral health behavior was obtained via questionnaires. RESULTS: The prevalence and level of caries increased with ages. Overall, 89.5% had evidences of caries experience; 71.5% were related to untreated caries. The average DMFT score was 7.4 (DT=2.9, MT=3.2, FT= 1.2). About 72.9% needed 1-surface filling and 45.6% needed extraction. Similarly, gingivitis was highly prevalent for all age groups, with 73.4% having calculus. About 12.7% had periodontal pockets. However, the highest prevalence of periodontitis belonged to the 55-64-year-old priest at 41.4%. Tooth loss was dramatically prevalent among the elderly over 65. Even though most participatting priests had high evidences of caries and periodontal problems, only 57.7% perceived their own problems. The first and second common problems were calculus and food retention, at 48.9 and 44.1, respectively. With respect to level of education, priests who completed their education from primary school or lower had significantly higher number of DT MT and DMFT and lower number of FT than the group with higher education (p < 0.05). Similarly, nonsmokers had lower mean of MT, DMFT and prevalence of score 3 and score 4 than past smokers and current smokers (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Most priests in the 28 participatting temples still had unmet needs on dental services. Not only providing more access to dental services, the continuous implementation of community based oral health promotion and prevention, emphasizing related risks which needed to improved oral healthcare of the priests to limit oral health burdens in the future.

Oral health status of 12-year-old novices in Bangkok.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the oral health status of 12-year-old novices in Bangkok; to provide data to compare with national level and data for planning and evaluation of oral health care program. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A cross-sectional oral health survey was performed. The 98 novices aged 12 from temples in Bangkok were examined following WHO methodology and criteria. The data of oral health behavior was collected from questionnaires. RESULTS: Clinical recordings of dental caries (DMFT scores) and periodontal (CPI scores 0, 1 or 2) according to WHO were analyzed. The mean DMFT score was 3.4 (DT= 2.8, MT= 0.3 and FT= 0.2). The caries experienced in novices was significantly higher than the average score of children in Thailand (DMFT = 1.6), and considered high according to WHO goal for the year 2000 (DMFT = 3). Thus the need for treatment, 72.4% needed 1-surface filling and 21.4% needed extraction. The periodontal disease prevalence was also high. CPI score 2 (gingivitis and calculus) was dominant for this participants (88.8%). According to the questionnaire, only 52% perceived their own dental problems. The important problems that they answered were food retention, halitosis and calculus. Furthermore nearly 90% reported that they visit dentist once a year or less. CONCLUSION: Even though the caries and periodontal disease prevalence of all Thai children were considered low by WHO criteria, this study showed the high prevalence from this unique subject (the novice). Therefore, if progress is to be made toward increasing tooth retention and improving oral health in the priest and novice society, additional research in dental health services and disease prevention need to be undertaken in this specific group to elucidate the underlying causes that promote oral health disparity.