Patterns of use of oral health care services and barriers to dental care among ambulatory older Chilean

Abstract

BackgroundThis paper describes the patterns of use of oral health care services among ambulant 65-74 years or older adults, living in the Maule Region of Chile, factors associated with their use of oral health care services, and self-reported barriers to using oral health care services.MethodsFour hundred and thirty eight older adults, aged 65–74 years, living independently in the community were orally examined and underwent an oral health interview. Recency of visits was related to the use of oral health care services within the 12 months prior to the study.Results31.5% of respondents had used oral health services in the previous 12 months. In multivariate analyses, those living in rural areas (OR = 2.15; 95% CI:1.27–3.63), and those with secondary or higher education (OR = 1.65; 95% CI:1.03–2.64) visited the dentist in the last 12 months in a higher proportion. Those with more filled tooth-surfaces were more likely to have visited the dentist (OR = 4.02; 95% CI;3.58–4.51). Participants who self-reported dental fear, were less likely to have visited the dentist than those who did not (OR = 0.43; 95% CI;0.24–0.76).ConclusionComparing with existing data in Chile, participants in this study appear to have a slightly lower attendance. Findings question assumptions regarding oral health services utilization by rural residents and highlight the need to identify factors that influence the use of oral health services by older Chileans.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12903-016-0329-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Assessment of oral health-related quality of life as a function of non-invasive treatment with high-fluoride toothpastes for root caries lesions in community-dwelling elderly

“…People with dental fear are usually afraid of visiting a dentist, and it has been reported that they have more missing teeth than people with lower or no dental fear 48 . A study from our group showed that older adults who selfreported dental fear were less likely to have visited a dentist than those who did not self-report dental fear 49 . As participants in our study experienced a relaxing clinical environment, without the use of a high-speed drill or any other invasive procedure, results in terms of perceived OHRQoL could also have been influenced by the absence of dental fear and high compliance.…”

Oral health of the Latin American elders: What we know and what we should do—Position paper of the Latin American Oral Geriatric Group of the International Association for Dental Research

“…Rurality can also restrict access to oral care in the region . Distance to the healthcare providers and the lack of dental personnel are some of the main barriers to care in rural LAC countries . Other key factor to explain the poor oral status in the aged population is nutrition and diet.…”

“…Such public health programmes must not be confined to the treatment of the symptoms of the disease only, but must be appropriately designed to attain better oral health and quality of life for older people, including cultural adaptation. Among the measures to be taken, the implementation of mobile dental units and portable equipment to be used at home can facilitate outreach to older people and ensure effective service, as transportation is a serious barrier to oral health care of older people …”

“…11 Distance to the healthcare providers and the lack of dental personnel are some of the main barriers to care in rural LAC countries. 12 Other key factor to explain the poor oral status in the aged population is nutrition and diet. High-sugar diets tend to be predominant, conditioning dental caries, either coronal and root caries.…”

“…Among the measures to be taken, the implementation of mobile dental units and portable equipment to be used at home can facilitate outreach to older people and ensure effective service, as transportation is a serious barrier to oral health care of older people. 12 An interdisciplinary approach needs to be considered. Simple interventions may be delivered by non-dental professional or technical personnel, so the curriculum of non-dental health professions should incorporate general concepts of oral health in older adults.…”