Longitudinal radiological study of the oral health parameters in an elderly Finnish population

In the oldest elderly, an increase in the number of remaining teeth may inc rease oral infection foci. The aim of this follow-up study was to examine t he radiologically detected oral health condition of a group of home-living elderly in Helsinki at 5-year intervals. The population of this study compr ised 103 home-living elderly people, all participants of the population-bas ed Helsinki Aging Study. Panoramic radiography supplemented by intraoral ra diographs was performed on all these participants at the Institute of Denti stry, University of Helsinki, in 1990-1991. Follow-up radiographic examinat ion was completed in 1995-1996. Mean number of teeth decreased during the f ollow-up period from 13.2 +/- 9.0 to 12.5 +/- 9.2 (P= 0.0001). Mean number of teeth with periapical lesions decreased in men from 1.3 +/- 1.4 to 0.6 /- 0.9 (P= 0.007), but no differences in number of teeth with periapical fi ndings were observed in women. There were relatively few changes in the sub jects' radiographic periodontal findings. However, fewer teeth with vertica l bone pockets >1-3 mm deep were found in the follow-up study than 5 years earlier (0.6 +/- 1.2 vs 1.1 +/- 1.8; P= 0.0008). In both the baseline and t he follow-up studies the radiographic findings occurred in the subjects who had retained more natural teeth. In the follow-up study, 68% of the subjec ts had radiographically detected signs of chronic oral infection foci. It m ay be concluded that radiographically detected oral health parameters remai n relatively unchanged, but treatment need is higher among those who have s uccessfully retained their natural dentition into old age.