Oral health and the elderly in Nigeria: a case for oral health promotion

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of problems associated with chewing and the relationship with body mass index, the self‐reported rating of oral health and normative oral hygiene assessment among the elderly. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive community based study carried out in three locations in Ife‐Ijesa zone (south western Nigeria). Elderly persons of 55 years and above were recruited through the religious organisations. All elderly who volunteered were assisted in completing a questionnaire on their socio‐demographic status, chewing ability, any quadrant associated with problems and self‐rating of oral health. An oral examination under a natural daylight using sterile wooden spatulae and an upright chair was carried out. The Oral Hygiene Index of Greene and Vermillion [Journal of the American Dental Association (1964) 61, p. 172] was used to determine the oral hygiene status. Results: The lower right quadrant had the highest frequency of complaint on difficulty with chewing (15.6%), and 44.1% of the subjects had problems with chewing. Twenty‐nine per cent rated their oral health as poor or very poor. There was a statistically significant association between the rating of oral health and the presence of calculus (p = 0.022). This was also true for oral hygiene and having any problem with chewing (p = 0.001). The self‐rating of oral health was not in agreement with that of the normative finding. Conclusion: Health promotion focusing on the oral health of the elderly is a significant requirement for the study population. Proper evaluation of the effectiveness of traditional dentifrices must be carried out and interventions designed to address the possibility of improper usage.