Evaluation of Oral Health and Dental Anxiety Levels of Geriatric Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Vollständiger Abstract

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Background: Although aging is a natural process seen in all individuals, the older population is increasing every passing year. Parallel to this, an increase in oral and general health problems is observed. The aim of the study is to evaluate the oral health and anxiety levels of older patients who apply to the faculty of dentistry for any reason. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 400 study participants aged 65 and over between January and June 2025. The first part of the survey included general information on gender, age, and education; the second part included questions measuring dental anxiety levels with the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale and the third part included a total of 19 questions on oral health awareness.Results: Of the older patients who participated in the survey, 51.2% were male (n=205) and 48.8% (n=195) were female. The age range of the participants ranged from 65 to 95 years, with a mean age of 67.33±4.23 years. The average anxiety score of older patients was quite low and was 8.69, and female patients had higher dental anxiety than male patients. No relationship was observed between education level and dental anxiety.Conclusions: This study showed poor oral health behaviors, and low dental anxiety in geriatric population. Regular dentist visits are very important for older individuals to maintain their oral health and prevent diseases.