PREVALENCE AND PATTERNS OF ORAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AMONG ELDERLY PEOPLE IN PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Background: Oral health problems among elderly populations represent a growing public health concern, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where community-based epidemiological data remain scarce. Objective: This study investigated the prevalence and patterns of oral health problems among elderly residents of Port Harcourt Local Government Area (PHLGA), Rivers State, Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed. Using a four-stage multistage sampling technique, 420 elderly individuals aged 60 years and above were recruited from five communities across PHLGA. Data were collected using a validated semi-structured questionnaire and analysed with IBM SPSS version 26 using descriptive statistic. Results: Over half of participants (53.8%, n=226) reported at least one oral health problem. Periodontal disease was the most prevalent specific condition (16.2%), followed by tooth loss (15.7%) and dental caries (12.4%). Dental pain was reported by 41.2% in the past year. Oral cancer was diagnosed in 3.1%. No participant reported complete tooth loss. Dental pain was the most frequently recurring complaint (28.8% regularly; 53.1% occasionally). Only 17.7% attended dental check-ups regularly Conclusions: Oral health problems are highly prevalent among the elderly in Port Harcourt. Targeted preventive programmes, community-based dental health education, and improved access to dental care services are urgently needed for this population.