title: Physiologic alterations of oral mucosa due to aging: a review.
abstract: The Brazilian population, despite Brazil being considered a "country of young people", is undergoing an aging process entailed by a decline in the fertility and mortality rates. In the year 2000, seniors accounted for about 5.85% of the Brazilian, and population projections for 2025 estimate that the group will reach 14% by that time. Oral mucosa has a function of providing a barrier and promoting immune and inflammatory responses, thus protecting the body. During the aging process, those functions deteriorate, allowing the action of predisposing agents. There is thus the need of better knowledge of the conditions of oral health in the Brazilian population, allowing for adoption of preventive measures. Oral cavity examination should be routinely performed in the elderly on a yearly basis, as a preventive measure which would reduce the morbidity and mortality in this population.
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, University Hospital (HUCFF/UFRJ) and School of Medicine, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ribeiro de Castro
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramos-e-Silva
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000502:physiology*