Association between self-rated oral appearance and the need for dental prostheses among elderly Brazilians

Abstract

Association between self-rated oral appearance and the need for dental prostheses among elderly Brazilians Abstract: We investigated the association between poor self-rated oral appearance and the need for dental prostheses among elderly Brazilians. National data from an epidemiological survey on oral health in Brazil conducted from 2002 to 2003 by the Ministry of Health (SB, Brazil) with a multistage random sample of 4,839 individuals aged 65-74 years in 250 towns were analyzed. The dependent variable was self-rated oral appearance, dichotomized into "poor" (poor/very poor) and "good" (fair/good/very good). The main independent variable was the need for an upper or lower dental prosthesis. Other variables included sociodemographic characteristics, approach to dental care, oral health conditions, and self-reported oral disadvantage. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test and Poisson regression models at a 95% significance level. The prevalence of poor self-rated oral appearance was 20.6% and was higher in the elderly who needed a partial or complete upper or lower prosthesis, independent of other variables. This prevalence was associated with age, the use of dental services, access to information about oral disease prevention, number of decayed teeth, self-perception of the need for treatment, dental pain, chewing ability, and the perception that oral health affects relationships with other people. The elderly who needed dental prostheses had a higher prevalence of poor self-rated oral appearance than those who did not need any.

Autopercepção de saúde bucal em comunidades quilombolas no Rio Grande do Sul: um estudo transversal exploratório

“…In the Brazilian population, oral health conditions related to mastication are the most mentioned as a source of impact on performing daily activities 20 . The findings of strong relationship between appearance and self-reported oral health are consistent with other studies 21,[32][33][34][35] . This appreciation of physical appearance may happen because it is one of the most easily perceived features during social interactions, and it is suggested that the stereotype that "what is beautiful is good," meaning that a person with good looks is also seen as the owner of desirable social characteristics 36 .…”

“…Internally to the individual, the perception of body image is a variable concept, floating over time and influenced by everyday events 37 , and a negative perception of one's body is associated with mental health outcomes, such as eating disorders, depression, and low self-esteem 38 . Regarding oral health, the same stereotypical mechanism of beauty is suggested, which is related to social and professional aspects 39 , and its perception is mediated more strongly by dental variables, such as color changes and absence of teeth 40 , and their negative evaluation is related to the need for partial or complete prosthetic rehabilitation 32 . Changing this perception over time is related to the onset and recovery of oral health diseases such as staining, cracking of restorations, and dental elements 41 .…”

Uso de serviços odontológicos de forma regular na população de Montes Claros, MG, Brasil

“…Também foi encontrada associação entre o uso e relato de dor dos usuários nos últimos seis meses como média, muita dor ou dor extrema. Estudos prévios envolvendo idosos do Brasil encontraram associação entre uso, percepção da aparência dos dentes e gengivas como regular/ruim/péssima e relato de dor 6,27,32 . O modelo teórico utilizado neste estudo explica que as características pessoais da população influenciam os comportamentos de saúde, dentre eles o uso de serviços odontológicos, que por sua vez influenciam a autopercepção da saúde.…”

Access to information on how to avoid oral health problems among elderly persons registered with the Family Health Strategy

“…24 Increased access to preventative information among the elderly, an age group that has poor oral health and poor access to dental services, 21 could lead to improvements in their conditions of oral health. Access to such data can result in improved awareness of the need for dental treatment 21 and of the appearance of the mouth, 25 as well as satisfaction with dental services 26 There is therefore a clear need for educational programs aimed at the provision of such information.…”

“…Previous studies have identified an association between subjective questions of oral health and access to such information in elderly Brazilians. 21,25 It is believed that elderly people who revealed no impact through the OHIP-14 may have either a satisfactory state of oral health or flaws in the selfperception their conditions. Importantly, access to information on how to avoid oral health problems were associated with satisfaction with teeth among schoolchildren, a result identified in a previous study, 44 which highlights the influence of such information on subjective conditions.…”