ABSTRACT
Our earlier studies on edentulous elderly subjects have shown associations of severe resorption in the mandibular residual ridge with female gender and systemic diseases. The aim of this study was to examine whether other factors also were related to residual ridge resorption (RRR). Among 177 edentulous elderly subjects effects on RRR were investigated with regard to history of edentulousness and denture-wearing, the condition of the dentures and soft tissues, dental status of the opposing jaw, and oral hygiene habits. No significant association was found between degree of resorption and duration of edentulousness in either the mandible or the maxilla. RRR was related to denture quality (P < 0.05); however, severe resorption was not. In the maxilla previous use of removable partial dentures was a factor contributing to the resorption (odds ratio (OR), 2.4); flabby ridge was related to the severity of the resorption (OR, 2.4). This study showed local factors related to RRR more often in the maxilla than in the mandible, thus suggesting that severe resorption in the mandible is influenced more by systemic factors than by those investigated in this study.
Subject(s)
Bone Resorption/etiology , Dentures , Mandibular Diseases/etiology , Maxillary Diseases/etiology , Mouth Diseases/complications , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Denture Design , Denture, Complete , Denture, Partial, Removable , Disease , Female , Gingival Diseases/complications , Health Status , Humans , Jaw, Edentulous/complications , Linear Models , Logistic Models , Male , Multivariate Analysis , Odds Ratio , Oral Hygiene , Sex Factors , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to examine salivary flow rate and its association with the use of medication in a representative sample of 76-, 81-, and 86-year-old subjects, totaling 368. In this study, 23% (n = 80) of the subjects were unmedicated. From one to three daily medications were used by 47% (n = 168) and more than four medications by 30% (n = 104). The most commonly used medications were nitrates, digitalis or anti-arrhythmic drugs (47.7%), analgesics and antipyretics (32.6%), and diuretics (29.5%). The mean number used daily was significantly higher in 86-year-olds than in the two younger age groups (p < 0.01). No significant differences in this respect were found between genders. Among the unmedicated subjects, 76-year-olds had significantly higher stimulated salivary flow rates than did the 81-year-olds (p < 0.05). Unmedicated women showed significantly lower unstimulated (p < 0.01) and stimulated flow rates than did men (p < 0.05). Stimulated salivary flow rate was also significantly higher in the 76-year-old medicated subjects than in the medicated 86-year-old subjects (p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were found in unstimulated salivary flow rates among the three age groups. Medicated women showed significantly lower unstimulated salivary flow rates than men (p < 0.001), although the difference in stimulated saliva flow was not significant. A statistically significant difference in unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rates was found between unmedicated persons and those who took from four to six, or more than seven, prescribed medications daily.
