HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2007.109934v1 97/12/2216    most recent Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Wu, B. Articles by Wei, L. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wu, B. Articles by Wei, L. Related Collections Aging Dental/Oral Health Health Care Facilities/Services

Bei Wu, PhD, Brenda L. Plassman, PhD, Jersey Liang, PhD and Liang Wei, MPH

Bei Wu is with the Center on Aging, West Virginia University, Morgantown, and the Department of Community Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown. Brenda L. Plassman is with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. Jersey Liang is with the Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Liang Wei is with the Center on Aging, West Virginia University, Morgtantown.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Bei Wu, Center on Aging, PO Box 9127, West Virginia University, One Medical Center Dr, Morgantown, WV 26506 (e-mail: bwu{at}hsc.wvu.edu).

Objectives. We sought to investigate the relationship between varying levels of cognitive function and dental care utilization.

Methods. Using data obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2002), we performed weighted descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses on 1984 individuals with at least 1 tooth and who were 60 years and older.

Results. Multivariate analyses suggested that level of cognitive function was associated with dental care utilization. At a higher level of cognitive functioning, individuals were more likely to have had more frequent dental visits. In addition, a higher level of socioeconomic status, healthy lifestyle, and worse self-rated oral health–related symptoms were more likely to indicate a higher frequency of dental care utilization. By contrast, poorer oral health status as determined by clinical examinations was negatively associated with frequency of dental visits.

Conclusions. The results suggest that community-dwelling older adults with low cognitive function are at risk for less frequent use of dental care. Oral health serves as a mediating factor between cognitive function and dental care utilization. There is a great need to improve oral health awareness and education among older adults, caregivers, and health care professionals.