Influence of acculturation on self-perceived oral health among Japanese-Brazilian elderly

Abstract

Utilizing a qualitative methodology, this study aimed to evaluate the influence of acculturation on the elderly population and self-perception of their oral health. The target population included 40 individuals, divided into two groups: firstand second-generation Japanese immigrants. Through recorded interviews, acculturation level was assessed for each group, as was its influence on attention to oral health and self-evaluation of oral health status and time elapsed since the last dental appointment. Acculturation affected both groups, although to a greater degree in second-generation Japanese-Brazilians. However, it does not interfere in self-perception of oral health by this population. The main individual care with their oral health included brushing, flossing, and soaking dentures in antiseptic solutions. In self-assessed oral health, the main complaints related to wearing dentures, and the time elapsed since the last dental appointment was 1.4 years for the nonedentulous and 6.3 years for the edentulous.