Condição e autopercepção de saúde bucal de usuários adultos e idosos com doenças crônicas

Abstract

Oral health is an important component in health promotion and disease prevention actions at different levels of health care. Objective: To characterize the participants sociodemographically and to evaluate the condition and self-perception of the oral health of adults and elderly patients seen at the dental clinic of a University Hospital. Method: Cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted between September and October 2022. Participants were users seen at the outpatient clinics of the institution, aged over 29 years, with some chronic communicable or noncommunicable disease. A form was used for sociodemographic characterization, clinical dental examination, evaluation of decayed, missing and filled teeth (CPO-D) and assessment of self-perception of quality of life related to oral health, using the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index. Results: Fifty users participated, with a prevalence of males with a mean age of 61.8 years. The majority did not attend the dental surgeon. Chronic hypertension was the predominant chronic disease. The dental exam showed that 28% had some degree of tooth mobility, 60% had dental calculus, and 72% had some degree of gingival recession. The mean DFT score was 20.82. The mean oral health self-perception was 27.44. Conclusion: The changes found in teeth and mucous membranes, the higher mean of the CPO-D index and the low rate of self-perceived oral health suggest the need for educational interventions for disease prevention and oral health promotion. Greater dialogue with the community and dissemination of the actions offered by the dentist in health services are suggested.