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Dental status and treatment pattern in a group of commuting laborers in Norway
Author(s) -
Helöe Leif Arne,
Kolberg Jon Eivind
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.1974.tb01666.x-i1
Subject(s) - medicine , norwegian , neglect , attendance , dentures , population , dentistry , dental care , family medicine , environmental health , psychiatry , linguistics , philosophy , economics , economic growth
Information on dental status and treatment attendance was obtained by questionnaire from 414 male industrial laborers living in a Norwegian rural community approximately 100 km away from their jobs. Median age of the men was 39 years. Seventeen per cent of the group reported being edentulous, while 44 % reported having 20 or more teeth remaining. Fifteen per cent said that they had removable dentures in both jaws, 28 % in one jaw only. Thirty‐eight per cent reported having visited a dentist during the previous year. Seventy‐three per cent of the group stated that they were interested in receiving low‐cost dental examination and treatment. The dental status and the treatment pattern seemed to be poor, and definitely below the standards prevailing in the general population. These findings were particularly valid for the oldest respondents, probably due to years of dental neglect. Situational factors such as working situation, little leisure time, lack of time, lack of treatment facilities, and difficulties with getting dental appointments conceivably had interfered with the seeking of treatment and thus contributed to the neglect of dental care.