Brazilian adolescents’ oral health trends since 1986: an epidemiological observational study

Oral health is part of general health, and in adolescence, it represents a good individual health indicator. Three country-based oral health epidemiological studies have been developed in Brazil (1986, 2003 and 2010). The objective of this study was to analyze oral disease trends among Brazilian adolescents and to compare these trends to the World Health Organization's goals with a focus on public health policies implemented between 1986 and 2010. This is an epidemiological observational study performed with secondary data from Brazilian Oral Health surveys (1986, 2003 and 2010). The DMFT (number of decayed, missing and filled teeth) index was used for the 12-year-old and 15- to 19-year-old groups, and periodontal disease (CPI) and the percentage of individuals who needed and/or had prostheses were evaluated in the 15- to 19-year-old group. Between 1986 and 2010, DMFT decreased from 6.65 to 2.07 (68.9 % reduction) in the 12-year-old group and from 12.68 to 4.25 (66.5 % reduction) in the 15- to 19-year-old group. In all groups, the missing component had the strongest decrease. Adolescents had a reduction of 20.3 % in access to dental care. In 2003, in the 15- to 19-year-old group, 89.5 % of teenagers had at least one decayed tooth, while in 2010, the value was 76.1 %. In 2010, the percentage of adolescents without gingival problems varied among different regions of Brazil, with 30.8 % in the North and 56.8 % in the Southeast. Regarding DMFT, the difference between the North and Southeast Regions was 84 %. Improvement trends regarding adolescent oral health were observed, which seem to be supported by health education and promotion activities along with the reorganization of the Brazilian health system.855

Transition from being OK to NOT OK with tooth loss among a selection of older people in Iran: a qualitative study

Background: Several studies have covered oral health and dental decay in old age, but these studies mostly applied standard quantitative tools and did not include consideration of older people’s views on oral problems, partial edentulism in particular. Objective: To explore people’s perceptions in terms of the transition from being OK to NOT OK with tooth loss among a selection of older people in Iran. Materials and methods: A qualitative content analysis study was chosen for the research by interviewing 15 older people using open-ended questions. Criteria for participation in the study were as follows: fitting the Kennedy class I or class I modification I category, having a minimum of four teeth but not more than 20 and being aged 60 years or more. The recorded interviews were then transcribed, and a coding process was applied based on a qualitative, conventional content analysis. Results: The four main themes that emerged were as follows: (i) gradual realisation of the need to deal with the problem; (ii) the search for information on dental health; (iii) the challenge of adaptation; and (iv) tendency towards dental rehabilitation. Conclusion: The turning point in the transition from being OK to NOT OK seemed to be associated with an edentulous crisis that had occurred from another problem such as stomach ache, distention, or nocturnal dyspnoea due to swallowing food that had not been properly chewed and had an affect on an elderly person’s life, physically and mentally. It is important to recognise the concept of healthy eating in relation to edentulism

Dependence in instrumental activities of daily living and its implications for older adults’ oral health

We aimed to assess the association between dependence in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and oral health in older adults. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 280 people aged �60 years served at public primary health care centers in Northeastern Brazil. Sociodemographic, oral discomfort and general health data were collected. The Lawton and Brody scale were used to assess IADL. This research adheres to the STROBE checklist. Most participants were married (n = 139; 49.6%), women (n = 182; 65.0%) and retired (n = 212; 75.7%). A total of 37 (13.2%) older adults had some degree of dependence in IADL. Dependence in IADL was associated with: retirement (p<0.040), poor general health (p = 0.002), speech problems (p = 0.014), use of medications (p = 0.021), difficulty chewing and swallowing food (p = 0.011), voice changes (p = 0.044), edentulism (p = 0.011), use of toothbrush (p<0.001), use of toothpaste (p<0.001), and visit to the dentist in the previous year (p = 0.020). Functional disability was associated with older age, cardiovascular diseases, speech problems, chewing and swallowing difficulties, use of medication and brushing deficiency. The functional dependence in IADL can be considered an indicator of oral health status in older adults.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio