ORAL HEALTH IN INSTITUTIONALIZED ELDERLY PEOPLE IN 1993 COMPARED WITHIN 1980

The dental and periodontal status, oral hygiene, and dental visit habi ts of 250 residents in long-term care (LTC) facilities for the elderly in a suburban community in Norway were recorded. The findings were co mpared with the data from an identical examination of the residents in the same LTC facilities in 1980. In 1993 the mean number of remaining teeth per person was 11.7 (CI = 10.3 - 13.1). The mean number of fill ed teeth was 5.1 (CI = 4.1 - 6.0), and the mean number of decayed teet h was 1.8 (CI = 1.4 - 2.2). The mean number of residual roots per pers on was 0.8 (CI = 0.5 - 1.1). Periodontal pockets exceeding 4 mm was re corded on 5% of all teeth. In general, the oral hygiene was poor. Eden tulousness had decreased from 80% in 1980 to 54% in 1993, and more rem aining and filled teeth and fewer residual roots per person were obser ved in the 1993 population. The findings show that the objective need for resources to prevent periodontal disease and caries among elderly patients in LTC facilities today is higher than previously.