Incidence and predictors of edentulism among south Brazilian older adults

Objective: To identify socioeconomic, demographic, behavioural and clinical predictors of the 8-year incidence of edentulism in south Brazilian older adults. Methods: Cohort of a representative sample of older persons in Carlos Barbosa, a south Brazil city. A cohort study was conducted using a simple random sample of 392 older people evaluated in 2004, with follow-ups in 2008 and 2012, when 199 participants were evaluated. Interviews and oral examinations were conducted. The baseline assessment was carried out in 2004, with follow-ups in 2008 and 2012. To evaluate the predictors of edentulism, Poisson regression models with robust variance were carried out. The outcome was modelled through the use of a hierarchical approach based on the conceptual framework proposed by Andersen and Davidson. Results: Some 11.5% of the participants had become edentulous after 8 years. Higher income, use of partial removable dentures and low salivary flow were associated with the incidence of edentulism. Conclusions: Maintaining a good salivary function may be essential for the prevention of the incidence of edentulism in this age group. Furthermore, our findings suggest that rehabilitations with partial removable dentures may be detrimental to long-term oral health.