The Stories of the Ageing Population in Luton on their Experience of Periodontal Diseases Healthcare

Background: Oral health is an important part of general wellbeing, but in the United Kingdom there are substantive inequalities, especially based on ethnic minority and ageing. There is a poor quality of life, a lack of awareness and preventive measures, and periodontal disease contributes to loss of teeth, poor nutrition, and poor quality of life. Ageing adults among Indians in Luton are an under-studied group whose experiences could inform the interface of cultural, structural, and psychosocial determinants of oral health. Aim: The research aimed to understand the lived experiences of ageing Indian adults in Luton with respect to periodontal health, dental service provider access, and the impacts of cultural, familial, and emotional factors on oral health behaviours. Methods: A qualitative research design was adopted where semi-structured interviews of ten ageing Indian adults living in Luton were conducted. Data were analyzed in terms of their themes using theoretical frameworks of the Health Belief Model, the Social Cognitive Theory, and Intersectionality to identify patterns and meaning in participant stories. Results: The results showed that the level of knowledge about periodontal disease was low; and most of the participants believed that the gum issues were not a big problem and that everyone got gum problems with ageing. The obstacles to care access were that the NHS was too expensive, too long, and too complicated; the quality of care in the private sector was too high, and it was unaffordable. The perceptions and attitudes towards cultural beliefs and practices, including the use of traditional medicines and an integrated family, and the choice of pursuing or postponing the care. Fear, mistrust, shame (psychology) also discouraged the use of dental services. Conclusion and Recommendations: This study finds that the interaction of culture beliefs, systemic barriers, and psychosocial variables affects the oral health of elderly Indian adults in Luton. Periodontal treatment tends to be reactive and symptomatic with little preventive treatment. This research suggests that the main issues will be culturally sensitive oral healthcare education, family- and community-intervention, affordability, access and cultural competence of NHS dental care. Research is needed to evaluate the utility of such interventions and the greater awareness of different subgroups of South Asians. Keywords: Oral health; Periodontal disease; Ageing; Indian adults; South Asian communities; Luton; Health inequalities; Cultural beliefs; Family influence; NHS dentistry; Private dentistry; Access to care; Health literacy.