Evaluating changes in dental status among Polish older adults over a decade: A comparative analysis of PolSenior (2009) and PolSenior2 (2019) surveys.

Background: The aging global population poses new challenges to healthcare systems, including dental healthcare. This study analyzes the evolution of dental status within the aging population of Poland over the last pre-pandemic decade.

Objectives: The goal of the study was to examine changes in dental health among Poland's aging population, with a specific focus on edentulism, partial tooth loss and functional dentition. Furthermore, the study aimed to evaluate the influence of sociodemographic factors on oral health, assess the effectiveness of public health initiatives, and identify persistent inequities in oral health.

Material and methods: The study utilized data from 2 representative population-based studies: the PolSenior (PS) (2008-2009); and the PolSenior2 (PS2) (2018-2019). The comparative analysis involved 4,773 (PS) and 4,627 (PS2) Polish adults aged more than 65 years. The participants were categorized based on the number of teeth present (0 - edentulism, 1-19 - partial tooth loss, ≥20 - functional dentition) and analyzed for various factors, including age, sex, education level, and place of residence.

Results: The dental status of Polish older adults has improved over the past decade, with the prevalence of edentulism decreasing from 45.8% to 36.1%, and the proportion of individuals with functional dentition increasing from 6.0% to 15.0%. The prevalence of edentulism dropped from 49.4% to 40.5% among women and from 40.3% to 29.3% among men, while functional dentition increased 2.5-fold in both sexes. The most significant improvements were observed among the youngest seniors, with a reduction in edentulism and an increase in functional dentition.

Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate a notable improvement in dental status of Polish older adults, as evidenced by a decline in the prevalence of edentulism and an increase in functional dentition. The research underscores the persistent disparities related to basic needs in relation to sociodemographic factors in dental treatment.