Abstract
Objective
To analyze the oral health status of elderly people in the municipality of Bocoio, Benguela province, Angola, Africa.
Methods
Epidemiological, cross-sectional and analytical study carried out with 213 elderly people in 2019. Through interviews and clinical examinations, the sociodemographic profile; oral health perception; oral hygiene; use of dental services; consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and sugar; functional and social impairments due to oral problems; dental caries index (DMFT); root caries; periodontal condition; use and need for prosthesis; and presence of oral lesions were analyzed.
Results
Most of the elderly were female (69.01%), aged 60 to 70 years (77.46%), did not work (92.96%), did not attend school (82.63%), and classified their oral health status as moderate (75.59%). It was found that 52.58% performed oral hygiene twice a day, using toothbrush and fluoridated dentifrice (92.49%); no participant used dental floss; 47.89% had their last dental appointment more than two years ago; 20.66% smoked daily; consumption of alcohol and sugary foods was low; 89.67% reported difficulty chewing; and 7.04% were fully edentulous. There was an association (p<0.01) between the greater number of missing teeth, and older age group and low level of education. The mean DMFT was 20.8±5.3 and no filled teeth were found; the mean of decayed roots was 2.43±2.10; most teeth had periodontal pocket (50.32%) and attachment loss (51.00%); 99.53% of the elderly needed a prosthesis; and 0.94% had oral lesions.
Conclusion
The oral health condition of the elderly in Bocoio is precarious and marked by the lack of access to dental services.
Keywords
Oral Health; Aged; Rural Population; Health Services Accessibility
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