Oral health status and functional capacity in the elderly: a longitudinal population-based study.

Introduction:: The study of oral health conditions and functional dependency in elderly people represents an important step toward the comprehension of the intervenient factors in the health care of this population.

Purpose:: This methodological note described strategies and methods adopted in a longitudinal study which has been analyzing the association of oral health conditions with functional dependence among the elderly population in a city located in the countryside of Northeastern Brazil.

Methodological Aspects:: The assessment of the oral health conditions among the subjects is being carried out by an intraoral epidemiological examination, in which the number of decayed teeth, the periodontal condition, the use and need for dental prosthesis, and the presence of modification in soft tissues is being evaluated.

Socio-demographic factors and oral health conditions in the elderly: a population-based study.

The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship between oral health conditions and socio-demographic factors in an elderly population from Macaíba/RN (Brazil). A questionnaire was used to characterize the socio-demographic profiles and a clinical examination was performed to assess oral health conditions such as tooth decay, gum disease, use of dental prosthesis, need for dental prosthesis and soft tissue injuries. The technique of random sampling by conglomerates was used, taken from randomly selected census drafts, with a total sample of 441 individuals.