Ramsay S E, Whincup P H, Watt R G, Tsakos G, Papacosta A O, Lennon L T, Wannamethee S G
Department of Primary Care & Population Health, UCL, London, UK.
Population Health Research Institute, St George's University of London, London, UK.
BMJ Open. 2015 Dec 29;5(12):e009476. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009476.
Evidence of the extent of poor oral health in the older UK adult population is limited. We describe the prevalence of oral health conditions, using objective clinical and subjective measures, in a population-based study of older men.
Cross-sectional study.
A representative sample of men aged 71-92 years in 2010-2012 from the British Regional Heart Study, initially recruited in 1978-1980 from general practices across Britain. Physical examination among 1660 men included the number of teeth, and periodontal disease in index teeth in each sextant (loss of attachment, periodontal pocket, gingival bleeding). Postal questionnaires (completed by 2147 men including all participants who were clinically examined) included self-rated oral health, oral impacts on daily life and current perception of dry mouth experience.
Among 1660 men clinically examined, 338 (20%) were edentulous and a further 728 (43%) had <21 teeth. For periodontal disease, 233 (19%) had loss of attachment (>5.5 mm) affecting 1-20% of sites while 303 (24%) had >20% sites affected. The prevalence of gingival bleeding was 16%. Among 2147 men who returned postal questionnaires, 35% reported fair/poor oral health; 11% reported difficulty eating due to oral health problems. 31% reported 1-2 symptoms of dry mouth and 20% reported 3-5 symptoms of dry mouth. The prevalence of edentulism, loss of attachment, or fair/poor self-rated oral health was greater in those from manual social class.
These findings highlight the high burden of poor oral health in older British men. This was reflected in both the objective clinical and subjective measures of oral health conditions. The determinants of these oral health problems in older populations merit further research to reduce the burden and consequences of poor oral health in older people.
英国老年人群口腔健康状况不佳程度的证据有限。在一项针对老年男性的基于人群的研究中，我们使用客观临床指标和主观测量方法描述口腔健康状况的患病率。
横断面研究。
从英国地区心脏研究中选取的2010 - 2012年71 - 92岁男性的代表性样本，最初于1978 - 1980年从英国各地的普通诊所招募。对1660名男性进行的体格检查包括牙齿数量，以及每个牙弓象限中指数牙的牙周疾病（附着丧失、牙周袋、牙龈出血）。邮寄问卷调查（由2147名男性完成，包括所有接受临床检查的参与者）包括自我评估的口腔健康、口腔对日常生活的影响以及当前对口干经历的感知。
在接受临床检查的1660名男性中，338人（20%）无牙，另有728人（43%）牙齿少于21颗。对于牙周疾病，233人（19%）有附着丧失（>5.5毫米），影响1 - 20%的部位，而303人（24%）有超过20%的部位受影响。牙龈出血的患病率为16%。在回复邮寄问卷的2147名男性中，35%报告口腔健康状况一般/较差；有11%报告因口腔健康问题进食困难。31%报告有1 - 2种口干症状，20%报告有3 - 5种口干症状。体力劳动者社会阶层的人群中无牙、附着丧失或自我评估口腔健康状况一般/较差的患病率更高。
这些发现凸显了英国老年男性口腔健康状况不佳的沉重负担。这在口腔健康状况的客观临床指标和主观测量中均有体现。老年人群中这些口腔健康问题的决定因素值得进一步研究，以减轻老年人口腔健康不佳的负担和后果。
