Oral health status and treatment needs of elderly people in Ile-ife, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Oral health is an important and often neglected component of an older person’s general health and well- being.
Objectives: To determine the oral health status of elderly persons in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Methods: The oral health status of 95 elderly patients who presented at the General outpatient clinic of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals, Complex was investigated.
Results: The mean age was 68.6 + 7.8 years. Seventy two percent had never been to the dentist while 69% had poor oral hygiene habit. Seventy percent had mobile teeth, 58.9% had missing teeth, and 30.5% had caries affecting the crown while 15.8% had root caries. Twenty two percent had retained roots while 10.5% had fillings and none of the patients wear dentures.
Conclusions: There is a general neglect of oral health care and very low utilization of oral health care facilities among this group of patients.