Predictors of tooth loss in Brazilian older adults: An 8‐year follow‐up

Abstract

Objective To investigate the risk factors for tooth loss after 8 years among community‐dwelling older adults in a southern Brazilian city. Methods In 2004, 388 dentate community‐dwelling older adults from Carlos Barbosa, southern Brazil, were selected using simple random sampling. In 2012, the follow‐up consisted of 199 (51.3%) participants. Data collection comprised an interview with data about socio‐demographic, behavioural and access to services and an oral examination. The outcome variable of this study is the ratio between the sum of the teeth lost during the 8‐year period of follow‐up, and the sum of the teeth present in 2004, per person, modelled through binomial regression analysis. Results Being older (IOR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00–1.06), living in a rural area (IOR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.17–2.07), earning two or more monthly minimum wages (IOR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.09–1.96), living alone (single, widowed or divorced; IOR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.00–1.85), having more gingival bleeding sites (IOR = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00–1.02) and wearing partial removable prosthesis (IOR = 2.82, 95% CI: 2.15–3.71) were risk factors for tooth loss. Approximately 48% of the participants lost one or more teeth over the 8‐year follow‐up period. Conclusion Socio‐demographic, economic and clinical variables were associated with the risk for tooth loss. This might be a result of social determinants of health influencing people’s access to oral health care, oral health behaviours and oral health status. Public policy aimed at older adults living in rural areas, living alone and using removable dentures may contribute to reducing the risk of tooth loss.

Relationship between the number of lost teeth and the occurrence of depressive symptoms in middle-aged adults

“…. The covariates were selected based on a review of the subject literature [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] and a previous study [21]. The data were analysed using STATISTICA 13.3 software (STATSOFT, PL).…”

“…Its direct causes are usually untreated caries and periodontal diseases [7][8][9]. The prevalence of tooth loss and the factors that directly determine it depend largely on economic development, access to dental care, social factors, and lifestyle, which is why they may differ between countries and regions [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. Loss of teeth not only reduces the effectiveness of mastication but also contributes to a limitation, or even complete elimination, of hard products from the diet (e.g., nuts and some raw fruits and vegetables), signi cantly reducing the nutritional value of food [16].…”

The role of differential exposure and susceptibility to heavy drinking linking income inequalities and tooth loss: An investigation of the alcohol harm paradox using a four‐way decomposition analysis

“…It is relevant to mention, however, that both age-standardized prevalence and years lived with disability for tooth loss have decreased in highincome countries, while an increase was observed in the lower ones, suggesting that this current social pattern will reverse if this trend continues. 3 Indeed, findings from middle-and low-income countries have shown that tooth loss is socioeconomically patterned 54,55 and increases with age, 56 meaning that the most disadvantaged and older have the highest extent of tooth loss. In this respect, understanding the forces behind trends in tooth loss inequalities is critical for tackling health disparities.…”