The negative impact of poor oral health on the quality of life in the elderly is an important public health problem, which must be addressed by the policy makers. This paper addresses a cross-sectional study which analyzed the condition in oral health in patients aged 60 years and older, in the Republic of Macedonia. The clinical protocol was conducted in 100 subjects who completed the questionnaire. We used the clinical protocol to evaluate the actual condition in oral health through a dentist clinical examination. The clinical examination of our subjects showed findings of dental plaque, dental calculus and periodontal pockets. Dental plaque seen only by sound on the marginal gingiva was found in 45% of subjects; dental calculus of the upper molars was present in 51% of subjects, and more than half of the subjects had dental calculus on the lower incisors located supra and/or sublingually (56%). The results obtained in our research provide important basic data on various aspects of oral health of people aged 60 years and older. To improve dental and periodontal status among elderly, the using a laser in a dental treatment would be of a great benefit. Plaque and calculus removal, coagulation, faster tissue ablation and healing, no or minimal pain, no or few sutures, instant sterilization, little tissue shrinkage and depigmentation are main factors favoring laser application in periodontics. Our findings have indicated a very low level of oral health behavior of this population in R. Macedonia leading to a very poor oral health. Laser dentistry can be a precise and effective way to perform many dental procedures. Some dental laser technology has been developed that can be used to generate both hard and soft tissue laser energy, depending upon the patient’s needs.
Oral health Elderly Prevention Dental and periodontal status Laser dentistry.
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