Oral Health Status, Hygiene Habits and Treatment Needs among Elderly Brazilians: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose Oral health status seems to play an important role in the quality of life of the elderly, the aim of this study was to verify oral hygiene habits, oral health status and treatment needs of a sample of elderly Brazilians in the city of São Paulo. Materials and methods A convenience sample of 167 individuals underwent interviews and clinical examinations. Results A total of 107 patients (64.1%) reported brushing their teeth 3 or more times per day, 42.5% floss their teeth, and 24.0% uses mouthwash. The average time since the patients’ last visit to a dentist was 2.2 years (±4.6). Only 24.6% of the teeth were periodontally healthy, and the most prevalent pathological condition was gingival recession (46.1%). Eighty-two percent use some type of dental prosthesis. A total of 35.3% of the sample required periodontal treatment, 32.9% needed direct restorations, 39.5% removable partial dentures and 23.4% complete dentures. Positive associations were found between the current condition of oral health and flossing (p = 0.004) and between the current condition and the use of interdental brushing (p = 0.009), and an inverse association with the time elapsed since the last dental appointment (p = 0.016). Conclusion The oral health status in this sample was better than observed in previous Brazilian surveys, but dental treatment needs remain high, mainly regarding prosthetic needs. How to cite this article dos Santos MBF, Montenegro FLB, Arcas SP, Hiratsuka M, Consani RLX, Marchini L. Oral Health Status, Hygiene Habits and Treatment Needs among Elderly Brazilians: A Cross-sectional Study. World J Dent 2012;3(1): 22-25.