earticle

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The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of the number of the remaining teeth of the elderly population to their subjective oral symptoms and oral hygiene care in an effort to raise awareness of the importance of remaining teeth and seek effective ways of increasing the number of remaining teeth. The subjects in this study were the senior citizens who resided in a region in South Jeolla Province. A survey was conducted from September to December, 2012. The findings of the study were as follows: 1. As for subjective oral health status, the largest group(45.1%) replied they were in bad oral health. The most common number of remaining teeth was between 10 and 19(38.5%). Concerning pain in hard tissues, the biggest group(54.9%) felt a pain in their hard tissues occasionally. As to pain in soft tissues, the greatest group(47.1%) felt no pain in their soft tissues. In terms of pain during mastication, the largest group(49.6%) suffered a pain during their mastication. The most dominant toothbrushing frequency was twice or more(47.1%), and the biggest group(80.3%) received no toothbrushing education. The largest group(80.4%) got no dental checkups on a regular basis. 2. Regarding subjective oral symptoms by gender, the biggest number of the men(58.2%) occasionally underwent oral symptoms, and the largest number of the women(51.2%) did that often. The largest number of the men(72.4%) and of the women(69.9%) brushed their teeth twice or more a day, and the greatest number of the two groups didn't get regular dental checkups nor ever received toothbrushing education. As to toothbrushing education experience, the men had more experience to receive that education than the women(p=0.009). 3. Concerning subjective oral symptoms by age, the older senior citizens suffered more pain in their soft tissues(p=0.000). In terms of oral hygiene care, the elderly people aged between 71 and 80(34.2%) had the most experience to receive toothbrushing education, and the biggest group brushed their teeth twice or more a day, had no experience to receive toothbrushing education and didn't get regular dental checkups. 4. Among the elements of the oral health state of the elderly population, the factors that were associated with the number of remaining teeth were gender, experience of hard-tissue pain, experience of soft-tissue pain, experience of pain in mastication and oral health status. Out of the elements of oral hygiene care, toothbrushing frequency was linked to the number of remaining teeth. 5. The number of remaining teeth exerted a significant influence on experience of pain in soft tissues, experience of pain in mastication and toothbrushing frequency. A larger number of remaining teeth led to less experience of pain in soft tissues and less experience of pain in mastication, and a larger number of remaining teeth led to higher toothbrushing frequency. The above-mentioned findings suggest that in order to step up the oral health promotion of the elderly, elderly people themselves should try to be in good oral health, and the government and local communities should make a concerted effort to push ahead with successful senior welfare policies or revitalize senior oral health education programs.