Edentulism, denture wearing and self-perceived of oral health among elderly

Aim The aim of this study was to verify whether self-perceived of oral health among elderly shows consistency with their oral condition, verified from the examination of oral inspection, considering tooth loss, usage and necessity of dentures. Material and method 103 volunteers who attend the Reference Center for Seniors Foundation Pro-Family Blumenau-SC participated. Data were collected through oral examination and questionnaire that composes the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). Result Most of participants was women (83.5%) with 70 years old in average. Edentulism is high with 91.3% users of dental prostheses and 53.3% needing some type of prosthesis. The average value of the GOHAI index in the general group was 29.22, classified as "bad" self-perceived of oral health. Among men and those with natural teeth oral condition was considered "regular" with values 31.3 and 31.7, respectively. Conclusion The self-perceived of oral health can be considered consistent with poor oral condition found, marked by high prevalence of missing teeth. The prosthetic rehabilitation did not contribute to the improvement of self-perceived oral health. These data should guide the planning of oral health services to promote health and self-care.