Oral health among the elderly population is an integral part of their overall health. Good oral health facilitates effective chewing, contributes positively to speech, social confidence and is associated with better cognitive and functional capacity in the elderly. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) it is generally acceptable if older patients have about 20 functional teeth in the oral cavity. Toothlessness is today seen as a physical disability, as the imperative part of the body is lost and this in turn affects patients' personal satisfaction.The main goal of this research was to determinate the prosthetic status and the need for prosthetic rehabilitation at the elderly in the city of Strumica, Macedonia, and as specific goals were set as follows: to assess the overall oral health of patients, including the frequency of visiting a dentist, to determine oral hygiene habits; to determine the number of lost teeth associated with the patients’ age; to determine the type of prosthetic appliance and their current state in the patients' mouth; to indicate negative and positive criticism and the level of satisfaction of patients from prosthetic devices (in terms of aesthetics); to determine the type of diet and general health status of patients; to determine the status of total prostheses in terms of retention, stabilization, extension and occlusion.The study included 40 patients from Strumica aged 50 to 75 years, 18 women and 22 men. The presented data were obtained from the research conducted in the period from 20.06.2018 to 30.08.2018 in which the following procedures were performed: anamnestic data, clinical examination and completing a questionnaire by patients.Based on the data obtained, their analysis, and the results of our research, we can make the following conclusions: Hygiene habits and attitudes may be related to gender distribution, level of education, and they do not always produce positive results; Education is one of the most important factors contributing to patients' awareness of their health and the need for regular check-ups in dental practice and daily oral hygiene; General illnesses often play a major role in the oral cavity, and poor habits such as smoking, alcohol consumption and other harmful products, including diet, are major contributing factors to caries and periodontal disease leading to tooth loss; With increasing age, patients have a growing number of lost teeth and their awareness of replacing them is linked to both aesthetic and functional aspects; The dentist should always take care to preserve the natural teeth in the patient's mouth, to get the most out of the situation and to seek the most appropriate prosthetic rehabilitation and prosthetic compensation.
Modern approaches to rehabilitation phytotherapy in oncostomatology
