Abstract
Background: Information on the use of preventive dental services and associated variables is needed to guide policy for the old adult population and consequently promote better oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Objective: To investigate the association between preventive dental service use and OHRQoL by older Brazilians. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out using the baseline data of participants of the Brazilian Longitudinal Stud of Aging (ELSEI-Brazil) who were aged 60 years or more. Associations with the use of preventive dental services were carried out using Poisson regression models with robust variance, adjusting for confounders. Results: The final sample consisted of 5432 older adults. Almost all (90.7%) participants reported not having sought preventive dental services in the last year. Individuals who used dental services for prevention had fewer impacts on their OHRQoL (RR: 0.74; [95% CI: 0.57–0.97]). Conclusion: Preventive dental service use is associated with a better OHRQoL in older Brazilians. Policies to improve access to preventive dental services may result in improved OHRQoL in this age group.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 40-45 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Gerodontology |
Volume | 41 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2024 |
Keywords
- ageing
- dental care
- quality of life
- social determinants of health
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Dentistry
- Geriatrics and Gerontology