Self-perceived oral health among institutionalized older adults in Taubate, Brazil

Purpose/Aim To assess self-perception of oral health among institutionalized older adults in Taubate, Brazil. Method and Materials Demographics, oral, and systemic health data were collected from a sample of 89 institutionalized older adults. The Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) was applied to assess their self-perception of oral health. A linear regression model using GOHAI scores and considering age, BMI, gender, race, dry mouth, denture status, number of teeth, number of comorbid conditions, and number of medications as independent variables was generated. Results Fifty-five percent were male, with an average age of 75.9 years (+/- 9.1), 43.8% identified as mixed race, and 42.7% as white. The average BMI was 23.9 (+/- 3.8), the average number of comorbid condition was 1.8 (+/- 1.4), and the average number of daily medications was 6.2 (+/- 3.6). The average number of teeth was 3.9 (+/- 7.4), and 57.3% of the participants reported dry mouth sensation; 8.9% presented oral lesions, with denture stomatitis as the most common oral lesion (5.6%). The average GOHAI score was 31.1 (+/- 3.7). Regression analysis showed a negative correlation between BMI and GOHAI scores (P = .032, R-2 = 7.2%). Conclusions Self-perception of oral health was good and negatively correlated with BMI.