Oral health status of a group of elderly Canadian Inuit (Eskimo)

• Published in: Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology
• Main Authors: Galan, Douglas, Odium, Olva, Brecx, Michel
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1993
• Subjects: Northwest Territories; eskimo*; inuit; Keewatin
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0528.1993.tb00720.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1600-0528.1993.tb00720.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1600-0528.1993.tb00720.x

Abstract – Fifty‐four Inuit elders, representing 90% of the individuals 60 yr of age and older in three communities in the Keewatin region of the Canadian Northwest Territories, were examined for dental caries, periodonlal disease, levels of edentulism, and the fit and quality of denture prostheses. These elders had a mean of 2.8 ± 3.5 decayed teeth and a DMFT of 26 ± 13 which reflected significant tooth loss. The Root Caries Index for subjects with gingival recession was 19%. Periodontal pocket assessments revealed that 86% of the individuals examined had CPITN readings of either 3 or 4. Over one third of the elders were totally edentulous, most of them female. Only 41% of these individuals wore complete dentures. Denture fit assessment revealed that 36% of the complete maxillary dentures and 42% of the complete mandibular dentures fit poorly. The overall oral health findings for these Inuit elders differed from those found in other older populations; however, the present findings may be the norm for a population undergoing a cultural transition.