Regular use of dental services and dental loss among the elderly

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the association between regular use of dental services and tooth loss by elderly linked to eleven Family Health Facilities in southern Brazil. This cross-sectional study evaluated 438 elderly. A standard questionnaire was used and oral health clinical variables were obtained by a trained dentist. The main study outcome, namely, the regular use of dental services, was obtained through a single question. Descriptive analyses and Poisson regression using Stata 12.0 were performed. The analysis of the exposure variables and the outcome in the unadjusted regression analysis revealed a positive association between regular use of oral health services for the elderly with 9-11 years of schooling (PR = 3.89; 95%CI 1.77-8.58) compared to individuals with 4 years of schooling, up to 9 teeth (PR = 2.50; 95%CI 19.0-5.72) and 10 or more teeth (PR = 3.89; 95%CI 1.58-9.57) compared to individuals who do not have teeth. When considering the primary exposure, tooth loss, through adjusted analysis, individuals with 10 or more teeth (PR = 3.51; 95%CI 1.37-8.99) have a higher prevalence of regular use of oral health services compared to individuals without teeth. The study identified that having teeth is positively associated with regular use of oral health services among the elderly.