Oral findings and health status among elderly Iraqi patients (aged 65 and above)‎

Abstract EN

Background: The study hypothesis was that elderly patients with many concomitant disease and drugs would have different oral diseases, thus epidemiological information about their oral health is urgently needed in geriatric dental care for diagnosis treatment and prevention.

Objective: To obtain base line information on the prevalence of oral problems and disease in elderly Iraqi patients.

Materials & Method: The study group consisted of 83 (43 males and 40 females) elderly patients, they were examined to evaluate the oral health status.

Result: of 83 patients who verbalized their complaints 72% complained of dry mouth, 42% had burning mouth syndrome and 48% had oral mucosal lesion.

The commonest oral finding was denture stomatitis 30%.

Conclusion: These data suggest that there was considerable unmet dental need with significant oral disease in this target group.

Key words: Denture stomatitis, Candidosis, elderly patients.

(J Bagh Coll Dentistry 2008; 20(1) 31-33)