Tooth Loss Occurring at a Place Other than a Health-care Facility: 72-month Incidence

Abstract

Dental care can occur within or outside the formal health-care system. We hypothesized that certain subject characteristics would partly explain one type of dental self-care, non-professional extractions. A representative sample of diverse groups of dentate adults was studied. In-person interviews and clinical examinations were conducted at baseline, 24, 48, and 72 months, with semi-annual telephone interviews in between. Of 699 participants, 291 (42%) reported loss of at least one tooth, of whom 42 (14% of those with tooth loss) reported having lost the tooth at a place other than a health-care facility. Ninety-four percent of non-professionally lost teeth were self-extracted; relatives extracted the remainder. Fifty-eight percent of these teeth were deliberately removed; the remainder came out while subjects were eating or brushing their teeth, or due to injury. Attachment loss and mobility at previous examination were consistent with the occurrence of non-professional extraction. The incidence magnitude was substantive and persistent throughout follow-up.

Predictors of change in satisfaction with chewing ability: a 24‐month study of dentate adults

“…Therefore, theoretically, tooth loss could also exert twofold effects on satisfaction with chewing ability. On one hand, tooth loss may mean removal of diseased teeth because almost all tooth loss occurs in health care facilities (47). As a result, a person's satisfaction with chewing ability could improve because problematic teeth were removed.…”

Racial differences in treatment preferences: oral health as an example

“…An in-person interview was conducted at baseline, which was immediately followed by a clinical dental examination. Previous publications have detailed the interview and clinical examination methods, as well as the financial and sociodemographic circumstance of the FDCS sample, its prevalence of dental conditions at baseline, and its incident dental care use [6,[15][16][17][18][19].…”

Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Health from Population‐Based Research to Practice‐Based Research: The Example of Oral Health

“…Additionally, the sector itself comprises a significant part of health care overall (more than $74 billion in 2003). 3 Without regard to whether the dental care system is ultimately entered, there may be substantive social differences in the: • recognition of symptoms; 4 • prevalence and incidence of oral symptoms and other aspects of need; [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] • responsiveness to this need, whether response means self-care or seeking formal dental care; [24][25][26] • propensity to seek preventive services. [27][28][29] Once the dental care system has been accessed, there may be substantive social differences in: • clinical condition and disease severity; 28,[30][31][32][33][34][35][36] • awareness of treatment options; 27,37 • treatment discussions and treatment recommendations; 27,28,37 • quality of care and treatment effectiveness.…”

“…Despite having a higher prevalence at baseline, AAs, lower SES persons, and problem-oriented attenders still had a higher incidence of periodontal attachment loss, tooth loss, coronal caries, root caries, and a phenomenon that to our knowledge was first reported in the FDCS: tooth loss occurring outside of a health care facility. 13,16,17,25,37,46 When compared to their NHW, higher SES, and regular attender counterparts, AAs, lower SES persons, and problemoriented attenders also had a higher incidence of onset of new OHRQOL decrements-namely, dental pain, chewing difficulty, and oral disadvantage. 19,21,32 AAs, lower SES persons, and problem-oriented attenders were also more likely to have experienced chronic decrements in OHRQOL during follow-up, including a small percentage of the sample that reported these decrements at baseline and every six-month interval during the first twenty-four months of the study.…”

“…30 Response to dental conditions is not limited to seeking formal care; it can also entail dental selfcare, including dental self-extraction. 24,25 Although problem-oriented attenders used less dental care, they did not compensate by employing more "conventional" dental self-care behaviors, but reported being more likely to employ "unconventional" behaviors. They were more likely to believe that nothing can be done to prevent dental problems.…”