Factors affecting denture use in some institutionalized elderly people

This study was conducted to assess which factors were related to the ability of elderly residents of nursing homes to use dentures. For 205 patients in two nursing homes in Chuou-ku, Tokyo, dentists and caregivers examined oral status (caries, status of restoration, missing teeth and occlusal support) as well as denture use, Activities of Daily Living (ADD, ability to rinse the mouth, and degree of dementia. Fifty percent of subjects lacked dentures. Seven items were selected for variance in factor analysis. There was a significant relationship between denture use and all analyzed items except age. The items which proved to be significant, included the number of remaining teeth, the ability to rinse, communication, ability to dress/undress, ability to transfer, and eating (Fisher's exact test). A multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that the nonuse of dentures was significantly related to dressing (p<.01). the number of remaining crowns (p<0.01) and the ability to rinse the mouth (p<0.0001). The nonuse of dentures was also related to the number of remaining teeth and to the disability of hand and oral functions.