Elderly people living in Florianópolis: self-perception of oral health conditions and use of dental services

This paper is based on the Florianopolis Municipality Senior Citizen's Profile (2004) built up on the questionnaire in the Brazil Old Age Schedule (BOAS), applied to 875 elderly people. The data highlighted by this cross-section are related to the self-perception of the respondents of their oral health condition and use of dental services, which were then associated with the socio-demographic variables. The discrepancy between oral health data perception and actual oral health status - such as high percentages of missing teeth and dentures - discloses the way in which the elderly perceive this aspect of their own health. The state of their teeth was associated only with family income. Recent visits to dentists were associated with the need for dentures and medical referrals. This study indicates a need for public policies focused specifically on the oral health of the elderly, in addition to ways of promoting health and wellness for all during the irreversible aging process.