[Self-perception of oral health condition of the institutionalized and non institutionalized elders]

This study evaluated the self-perception of oral health condition of institutionalized and non institutionalized elder population using a oral examination and a questionnaire divided in three parts: demographic data, general health and the GOHAI index. A total of 96 individuals above 60 years old living in Fortaleza, Brazil, were interviewed. They were divided in two groups, G1--institutionalized (n=48) and G2--non-institutionalized (n=48). The mean age of the study population was 69.8 years (SD 7.5) and 70.8% of the interviewed were woman. 62% had some type of medical treatment in the last year, and despite the fact that the majority (84.4%) of the elders thought that their general health was good or regular, the average number of teeth presented was 3.9 in both groups. Among them, 47.9% were using superior prosthesis and 26% inferior prosthesis. The GOHAI average was 17.53 qualifying as negative the self-perception of oral health. There was no difference between the two groups regarding physical and psychological aspects.