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Vulnerability and the Psychosocial Aspects of Tooth Loss in Old Age: A Southern Brazilian Study

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Abstract

Extensive tooth loss and edentulism can have a negative impact on the general health and quality of life of older adults. The extent to which psychological and social factors affect an individual’s decision to undergo tooth extraction and mouth clearance (extraction of all teeth), and the theoretical relationships between social structure, social life and oral health can be unraveled through qualitative research. This study aimed to explore the social and psychological factors involved in tooth extraction and mouth clearance within a historical perspective among rural Southern Brazilian older adults. It is based on qualitative data gathered via a series of eight focus groups among 41 older adults. Underlying the focus group discussions of different levels of health risks and resources for prevention of disease was the concept of vulnerability. Participants’ responses illustrated that tooth loss and mouth clearance were related to a lack of public dental health policies and programs, were influenced by social norms (including values pertaining to gender), and were associated with a low level of oral health knowledge. The social and program-dependent contexts of vulnerability were shown to have played a major role in the development of norms and values towards tooth extraction and mouth clearance. Vulnerability must be reduced in order to prevent disease particularly among rural populations. The influence of fatalistic beliefs about the inevitable loss of teeth with age may negatively influence the acceptance of dental treatment and predilection for oral health self-care.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Preventive and Social Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Renato J De Marchi & Dalva M Padilha

  2. Post-Graduate Program in Community Health, Lutheran University of Brazil, Canoas, Brazil

    Andréa F Leal

  3. Department of Oral Health Sciences, Division of Community Dentistry and Prosthodontics and Dental Geriatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

    Mario A Brondani

  4. Departamento de Odontologia Preventiva e Social, Faculdade de Odontologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Ave. Ramiro Barcelos, 2492, Caminho do Meio, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, CEP - 90035-003

    Renato J De Marchi

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  1. Renato J De Marchi
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  2. Andréa F Leal
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  3. Dalva M Padilha
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  4. Mario A Brondani
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Correspondence to Renato J De Marchi.

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De Marchi, R.J., Leal, A.F., Padilha, D.M. et al. Vulnerability and the Psychosocial Aspects of Tooth Loss in Old Age: A Southern Brazilian Study. J Cross Cult Gerontol 27, 239–258 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-012-9170-5

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