The oral health of seniors in Brazil: addressing the consequences of a historic lack of public health dentistry in an unequal society.

Objective: National epidemiological data on the oral health of elders was analysed to examine relationships between the need for oral treatment and external environment, the dental care delivery system, personal characteristics and subjective conditions of oral health.

Background: Brazil's universal public healthcare system is theoretically responsible to provide dental care to Brazilians of all ages. However, as dentists were integrated into public primary care facilities only in 2000, Brazilian seniors have accumulated needs.