Trends in tooth loss among adults and older adults in municipalities participating in oral national surveys 2003, 2010 and 2023.

Authors

Sônia Cristina Lima Chaves, Jony Arrais Pinto Júnior, Thais Regis Aranha Rossi, Thamyres Pereira Lima, Ana Tereza Ribeiro da Silva, Ana Maria Freire de Souza Lima, Joana Danielle Brandão Carneiro, Doralice Severo da Cruz Teixeira, Sandra Garrido de Barros, Leonardo Marchini, Monira Samann Kallás

Published in

Revista brasileira de epidemiologia = Brazilian journal of epidemiology. Volume 29. Issue suppl 1. Pages e260030supl1. Epub Aug 24, 2026.

Abstract

This study analyzed trends in tooth loss and caries severity among adults and older adults from 2003 to 2023.
An ecological study using secondary data from the three national oral health Surveys (SB Brasil 2003, 2010, and 2023) in 43 municipalities that participated in all editions. The analysis of trends in caries severity and tooth loss among adults (35-44 years) and older adults (65-74 years) was performed using structural equation modeling.
Among adults, a significant association was observed between higher illiteracy rates and increased the decayed, missing, and filled teeth index (DMFT) (β=+0.309; p<0.001). On the other hand, greater coverage by oral health teams and private dental plans were associated with a reduction in these outcomes (β=-0.040 p<0.001 and β=-5.527 p<0.001, respectively). The associations were less evident but pointed in the same direction among older adults regarding illiteracy rates and private dental plan coverage, where the estimated coefficients showed lower magnitude and significance, indicating moderation of contextual effects and stability of the indicators over time.
The study confirmed a downward trend in tooth loss and DMFT between 2003 and 2023, pronounced in adults and to a lesser extent in older adults in Brazil. The latter are particularly vulnerable to rapid deterioration in oral health, requiring individualized analyses in future studies and the targeting of efforts by policymakers and implementers.

PMID:
42659481
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 28 Aug 2026.

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