Tooth loss--how emotional it is for the elderly in India?

BACKGROUND Tooth loss can be distressing and sometimes devastating as it can lead to the serious psychosocial consequences which can affect the person's quality of life. The purpose of this study is to explore and investigate the emotional effect of tooth loss and its relationship with the person's wellbeing. The aim also extends to learn and understand the psychological status of elderly and to alleviate the management process by keeping it as a guide. METHODS A total of 212 (69 completely and 143 partially) edentulous patients were investigated for the effects of tooth loss before the replacement of teeth. The demographic variables such as age, gender and socioeconomic status were used to collect the data. Post treatment change in the emotional level was assessed by using a seven point 'Terrible-Delighted' Scale. RESULTS The tooth loss acceptance in completely edentulous category was 52% in the first year of loss, which increased to 80% after three years; while in partially edentulous patients it increased from 14.3% to 38.1%. The emotional effects of tooth loss varied from person to person with significant differences between the two groups. P-values were obtained using Chi-Square test, p-value<0.05 is considered to be statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS It is important to understand the problems associated with tooth loss, its emotional effects and the attitude of the elderly towards it. It has a profound impact on the lives of some people, especially when the tooth loss is taken as a serious life event.