Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
[Factors associated with subjective need for dental treatment in elderly Brazilians]
Rafael da Silveira Moreira1, Lucélia Silva Nico, Maria da Luz Rosário de Sousa
1Centro de Pesquisa Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Professor Moraes Rego s.n., Recife, PE, Brazil. moreirars@cpqam.fiocruz.br
Abstract:
The demographic transition in Brazil in recent years had reproduced a phenomenon known worldwide as population aging. The objective of this study was thus to identify the factors related to self-perceived need for dental treatment among elderly Brazilians. An in-depth analysis was performed with data from the 2003 national oral health survey, with a sample of 5,349 elderly individuals. Poisson regression models were used to identify the individual variables involved in self-perceived need for dental treatment. The variables associated with subjective need for dental treatment were different for edentulous and non-edentulous elders. These findings are important for planning the supply of dental services to the population, providing estimates of the main problems reported by these individuals and the number requiring treatment.
Related Concept Videos
Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age
Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.
Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Assessment of the Mouth
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.