TOBACCO USE - A MODIFIABLE RISK FACTOR FOR DENTAL DISEASE AMONG THE ELDERLY

Objectives. Because the public health literature contains few analytic studies of modifiable behavioral risk factors for dental disease amon g older community-dwelling populations, the New England Elders Dental Study was undertaken as an epidemiologic study of the oral health stat us of a representative sample of older adults living within the six Ne w England states. Methods. Five dentists conducted comprehensive in-ho me oral health examinations on 1156 community-dwelling adults aged 70 and older to determine whether lifetime use of tobacco products was a significant risk factor for tooth loss, caries, and periodontal diseas e. Results. Among New England elders, tobacco use was more common amon g men (18.1%) than women (7.9%), with a combined rate of 12.3%. Furthe r, 64.7% of men and 36.6% of women were previous tobacco users. Years of exposure to tobacco products was a statistically significant risk f actor for tooth loss, coronal and root caries, and periodontal disease , regardless of other social and behavioral factors. Conclusions. Life long tobacco use is a modifiable risk factor for poor dental health am ong older adults. Dental practitioners need to intervene with all thei r adult patients to discourage use of tobacco products for oral as wel l as general preventive health care.