[Evaluation of oral health in the adult population from ages 35-44 in Poland].

The aim of the paper has been to provide objective data comparable to world literature, on the status of masticatory organ in the population of adults aged 35-44 years in Poland. As many as 1380 subjects were studied in 9 voivodeships with due consideration to three inhabited environments: big town, small town and village. The studies were performed in artificial lighting, using a probe and dental mirror, on the basis of methodology found in the WHO instruction of 1986 (Fig. 1.). The status of periodontium and the therapeutic requirements in that respect were assessed by resorting to CPITN index and WHO 621 periodontologic probe. The data concerning the status of dentition reveal a high frequency of caries, claiming 99.8%, as well as high intensity of caries expressed by mean number of DMF equal to 18.6. Despite the fact that the provided index values are comparable to values reached by the majority of developed countries, in case of Polish population aged 35-44 years there is, unlike those countries, very unfavourable distribution for components of D, M and F. The highest value (10.5) is requested by the mean number of missing teeth (M), by mean number of carious teeth (D) with 4.1, while, unfortunately, the lowest being the mean number of filled teeth (F), which is hardly 4.0. So high means of numbers for missing teeth and carious ones indicate that despite the low percentage of toothless subjects in the studied population (1.0%), it will be impossible to reach the 4th health target launched by WHO in the year 2000, it means a 50% reduction in the number of toothless subjects aged 35-44 years. It is evident from data concerning the status of dentition that in the oral cavity of each subject studied there were on the average 21 teeth whereof only 37.2% were made up of healthy teeth. The presence of healthy teeth was recorded more frequently in mandible than in maxilla and most frequently these were incisors and lower canines. Missing teeth (regardless of cause) were disclosed more frequently in maxilla than in mandible. The analysis of the missing teeth according to individual group of teeth reveals their very unfavourable distribution primarily in the lateral segments, it means in zone of support of the masticatory organ. That results in its far reaching consequences with regard to parodontial diseases and temporo-mandibular joints. The established results of studies covering parodontium disclose that it is unrealistic to achieve the 2nd periodontological target of health fixed by WHO for the year 2000, assuming that 75.0% of population aged 35-44 years should possess at least 3 healthy sextants, while deep periodontal pockets (6 mm) were detected in 15.0% of the examined subjects. The poor status of parodontal health is accompanied by colossal need of treatment in this respect. Almost 100% of subjects required instructions with regard to brushing as well as professional procedure in removing dental deposits, whereas 15.0% of the studied demanded specialistic periodontal treatment. The health status of parodontium and the therapeutic demands in this respect for Polish population are also unfavourable against the background of the population residing in the developed countries. The considerable dental losses revealed in the investigation exerted an influence on the prosthetic state of requirements closely related to the above finding. The analysis of data points to high percentages of persons not using removable dentures, particularly the lower ones. It was simultaneously noted that women were more frequent users of movable dentures both upper and lower. No therapeutic requirements involving the upper removable denture were evidenced in a higher percentage of the studied subjects than in the case of lower movable dentures. More persons asked for partial upper denture than lower. As concerns complete denture the situation is found to be reversed. It appears from the data concerning the temporo-mandible joints that in 70.6% of