Abstract Introduction This study aimed to assess the prevalence of edentulism and tooth loss in the Slovenian elderly population, along with the associated risk factors, and investigate the ...association between systemic and oral health. Methods The study included 445 individuals aged 65 or older (average age: 79.7±8.9 years). Data on preserved teeth, dental history, chronic diseases, and medications were collected through clinical examinations. Height and weight were recorded in order to calculate body mass index (BMI), and the education level was also collected. Chronic systemic diseases and medications were categorized. Statistical analysis was conducted using linear regression and nonparametric tests. Results Participants had an average of 4.7±7.7 teeth, with no significant gender differences. Higher age (β=−0.185, p<0.001) and lower education level (p<0.001) were associated with fewer teeth, while higher BMI showed no correlation (β=−0.085, p=0.325). Diabetes mellitus (p=0.031), cardiovascular diseases (p=0.025), and thyroid diseases (p=0.043) were inversely related to retained teeth. This inverse relationship also applied to individuals who recovered from malignancies, not including head and neck malignancies (p=0.019). No significant relationship was found between osteoporosis and the number of teeth (p=0.573). Notably, antidiabetic drug use was inversely related to the number of teeth (p=0.004), while analgesics showed a positive relationship (p=0.022). Conclusions This study highlights the association between specific sociodemographic factors, chronic diseases, and retained teeth among elderly individuals in Slovenia. High edentulism rates among the elderly emphasize the need for enhanced preventive measures and risk factor management, particularly for high-risk groups like the elderly.
Edentulism and prosthodontic care are very common, especially in the elderly. The study investigated the treatment with complete dentures (CDs) and acrylic removable partial dentures (ARPDs) among ...people receiving new prosthodontic treatment in the Primary Health Centres of the three regions in Kosovo from 2002 to 2013.
The data on ARPDs delivery and CDs delivery was obtained from the archives of primary health centres from three Kosovo regions (Prizren, Peje, Ferizaj) from 2002 to 2013. The data was analysed concerning year of treatment, type of dentures, jaw, age, gender and urban or rural origin of the patients. The trend of treatment was determined, and the binomial logistic regression model was used for predicting odds of ARPD versus CD treatment by year of treatment and patient characteristics.
From 2002 to 2013, 9,478 patients received 11,655 CDs and 4,401 ARPDs. Delivery of CDs significantly increased by 57.45 dentures per year (R2=0.609) and delivery of ARPDs by 30.39 dentures per year (R2=0.569). Each year the odds for ARPD versus CD increased by 4.2% (95% CI: 3.0%-5.4%). Younger patients have higher odds for ARPD rather than CD and odds for ARPD are decreasing as the age of patients rises. The gender, residence, and jaw all had a significant impact on prosthodontic treatment too.
In Primary Health Centres of Kosovo, there is a trend for higher frequencies of both dentures (more obvious for ARPD), and the frequency is highly dependent on the age of patients.
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