Journal article
Dental Caries in Older Adults in the Last Year of Life
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS), Vol.61(8), pp.1345-1350
08/2013
DOI: 10.1111/jgs.12363
PMCID: PMC3743952
PMID: 23865859
Abstract
Objectives
To examine dental caries severity (measured by number of carious teeth) in older adults in the last year of life.
Design
Cross‐sectional study based on dental records.
Setting
Community‐based geriatric dental clinic.
Participants
One thousand two hundred sixteen individuals aged 65 and older, including 168 individuals in the last year of life (e.g., individuals died within 1 year after their new‐patient examinations).
Measurements
Information on socioeconomic, medical history, medication, functional status, and oral health measures, including number of carious teeth, was ed from dental records. End‐of‐life status was determined using the National Death Index. Propensities of death were calculated using a logistic regression and then adjusted together with mobility and oral care function in the multivariable regression model to examine the effect of end‐of‐life status on dental caries.
Results
Caries severity differed in end‐of‐life participants with different oral care function. Of those needing help with oral care, end‐of‐life participants had only a slightly higher and nonstatistically significant risk (7.5 vs 6.1, adjusted incidence density ratio (IDR) = 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.85–1.48) of having more carious teeth than those not in the last year of life. On the other hand, caries severity was lower in end‐of‐life participants without impaired oral care function (IDR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.30–0.92).
Conclusion
Oral care function modifies the association between caries severity and end‐of‐life status. Individuals who could maintain oral hygiene independently had a low level of caries at the end of life, however, dental caries had increased before functionally dependent individuals entered their last year of life.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Dental Caries in Older Adults in the Last Year of Life
- Creators
- Xi Chen - University of North CarolinaJennifer J Clark - University of North CarolinaJohn S Preisser - University of North CarolinaSupawadee Naorungroj - University of North CarolinaStephen K Shuman - University of Minnesota
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS), Vol.61(8), pp.1345-1350
- DOI
- 10.1111/jgs.12363
- PMID
- 23865859
- PMCID
- PMC3743952
- NLM abbreviation
- J Am Geriatr Soc
- ISSN
- 0002-8614
- eISSN
- 1532-5415
- Number of pages
- 6
- Grant note
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (K23DE022470)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/2013
- Academic Unit
- Preventive and Community Dentistry; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984107265202771
Metrics
24 Record Views