الفهرس 
AcknowledgementOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Dental caries are one of the major public health problem among elderly in the world. Dental caries is responsible for pain, oral infections, facial disfigurement, difficulty in chewing, speech impainnent and malnutrition. Periodontal disease is one of the most widespread oral diseases among elderly. It can cause damage to the supporting stnlctures of teeth leading to loss of teeth. The most commonly mucosal lesions was denture stomatitis among those who were wearing full dentures. Advanced age 60 years and more may be considered at high risk of oral diseases, their complications may be due to the prevalent chronic systemic diseases, attitude of the elderly towards utilization of dental services and dependency of many elderly on others. The age of 75-80 years is very critical because most of them have lost their teeth and show disability of chewing. Estimations of dental needs of elderly helps us to make programme for promotion of their oral health conditions. The study was carried out with the following aims: evaluation of oral health status among elderly, studying many important epidemiologic factors related to oral health status, estimation of dental needs and programming for the geriatric dental care in Alex. The study was carried out in 1994 in ten areas in Alex namely, EIGomrok, EI-Manshia, EI-Wardian, El-RamI (1), El-RamI (2), EI-Ebrahemia, El-Mandara, EI-Syouf, Hagar EI-Nawatteia and Khorshid village. Five clusters were chosen from each district, from each cluster 10 elderly were chosen using cluster sampling technique. The required data were collected through a questionnaire interview with the selected individuals and the results of dental examination and treatment needs. The questionnaire includes demographic characteristics e.g. age, sex, education, marital status... etc. Oral health status, dental needs and predisposing factors of oral diseases were assessed. The elderly under study were examined at home in good light using a plane mirror and probe to assess dental caries and CPITN probe to assess periodontal diseases, prosthetic needs, emergency care requirement, mucosal lesions and TMJ assessment were assessed. Data were then entered the computer using Epi Info, version 6.0 software. Appropriate statistical procedures were utilized for analysis of the data. Univariate analysis was applied first to all variables. The mean, standard deviation, tests of significance and P- values were calculated for selected group of variables. The cross-tabulations were subjected to computation of appropriate tests of significance (e.g. T -test, F-test and Chisquared test) and their equivalent P-values. Interpretation of results and conclusion were then drawn from the results of the analysis. Five independent variables were selected to be included in the logistic regression model. These variables are age, sex, sweetened tea, oral hygiene habits, dental check-up, and last visit to dentist. The study revealed the following results; The age of the studied sample varied between 60 & 80 years with a mean of68.1 :!:: 5.51 years. The total number of the studied sample amounted to 500 elderly (47.20/0 males & 52.8 females). About one third of the elderly were aged 65-69 years, one quarter were between the ages of 60 and 64, while only 150/0 were above the age of75 years. Most of females were not working i.e. house wives. Among males, the majority were technical and manual workers.