Edentulism, severe tooth loss, and lack of functional dentition in elderly people in Brazil: prevalence and social inequalities in the 2023 National Oral Health Survey.

Authors

Renato Canevari Dutra da Silva, Heloísa Silva Guerra, Fernanda de Oliveira Meller, Cleidiane Aparecida de Quadra, Elton Brás Camargo Júnior, Antônio Augusto Schäfer

Published in

Revista brasileira de epidemiologia = Brazilian journal of epidemiology. Volume 29Suppl 1. Issue Suppl 1. Pages e260023supl1. Epub Jul 24, 2026.

Abstract

To estimate the prevalence of edentulism, severe tooth loss, and lack of functional dentition among older adults in Brazil and to analyze associated social, racial, and regional inequalities, based on the 2023 National Oral Health Survey.
A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted with individuals aged ≥65 years. Outcomes included edentulism, severe tooth loss (0-8 teeth), and lack of functional dentition (<21 teeth). Associations were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance.
A total of 9,746 older adults were included. The prevalence of edentulism was 36.5%, severe tooth loss 48.1%, and lack of functional dentition 72.9%. In the adjusted analysis, women showed higher prevalence of all outcomes, which also increased with age. Low educational level was the main factor associated with worse oral health conditions: individuals with no schooling had higher prevalence of edentulism (PR=3.62; 95%CI: 2.48-5.30) and severe tooth loss (PR=3.79; 95%CI: 3.00-5.17), as well as higher prevalence of lack of functional dentition (PR=1.82; 95%CI: 1.52-2.19), compared to those with higher education. Brown-skinned individuals had higher prevalence of severe tooth loss and lack of functional dentition, while living in capital cities was associated with lower prevalence of edentulism.
Edentulism, severe tooth loss, and lack of functional dentition remain strongly associated with social, racial, and regional inequalities in Brazil. These findings highlight the need for public policies focused on oral health equity, emphasizing prevention, prosthetic rehabilitation, and expanded access to services for vulnerable populations.

PMID:
42524997
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 29 Jul 2026.

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