title: Oral health status in elders from South Brazil: a population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the oral health status of community-dwelling adults aged 60 years and older from southern Brazil and to determine demographics, socioeconomic, behavioural and dental risk indicators.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study used a multistage, probability sampling method to draw a representative sample of the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, Brazil. A subsample of 217 subjects was included in this analysis. Oral mucosal lesions, dental caries, tooth loss and periodontal status (full-mouth, six sites per tooth exam) were assessed by calibrated examiners.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of edentulism was 39.5%, and mean tooth loss was 20.2 (SE = 0.6). Older individuals [Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.2], women (OR = 2.3), white people (OR = 5.9), individuals of lower socioeconomic status (OR = 5.6) and smokers (OR = 3.5) had higher likelihood of being edentulous. Approximately 36% of dentate individuals had caries and/or restoration affecting, in average, 5.0 teeth. Periodontitis affected 79% of subjects, and it was associated with older age (OR = 4.0), men (OR = 3.4) and large amounts of supragingival plaque (OR = 3.0).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Poor oral health was observed in this elderly population from South Brazil. Sociodemographic disparities accounted for most of the burden of disease and treatment needs.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Gaio
authors.forename: Alex N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: Vinícius C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Carrard
authors.forename: Rui V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Oppermann
authors.forename: Jasim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Albandar
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Susin
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology*