Perceived general health in relation to oral health status in a rural Kenyan elderly population

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the present oral health status of the rural Kenyan elderly population and to investigate whether oral health status is associated with the perceived general health. METHODS: A total of 131 individuals aged 65 years and over in Mbita Constituency, Homa Bay County in Kenya were randomly selected and visited at home. The home visit study, which was conducted from 2014 to 2016, included oral examination by a dentist and administration of a self-reporting questionnaire. The number of teeth present and functional tooth unit (FTU) points were calculated using the dental chart. Perceived general health, subjective masticatory ability, and self-reported periodontal symptoms were collected using a questionnaire sheet. Fisher’s exact test and nonparametric test were used to determine the difference in percentage and means. The odds ratio of good general health based on the participants’ masticatory satisfaction was calculated by logistic analysis. RESULTS: Satisfactory mastication was dependent on the number of teeth present, FTU points, and self-reported “gum bleeding” and “tooth mobility”. Furthermore, satisfactory mastication was associated with perceived general health status independent of sex and age. The adjusted odds ratio of good perceived general health was 2.29 (95% confidence interval 1.05–4.99) for participants who had the subjective masticatory ability. CONCLUSION: Among the Kenyan elderly population, satisfactory mastication was related to the number of teeth present, FTU points, and self-reported periodontal symptoms. Furthermore, satisfactory mastication was associated with perceived general health status independently.