# Association between number of teeth, dental prostheses, and self-reported dysphagia in brazilian old people: a population-based study

## TL;DR

This study finds that fewer teeth and use of removable dental prostheses are linked to a higher risk of self-reported swallowing difficulties in older Brazilian adults.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence linking dental health indicators to dysphagia in elderly populations.

## Key findings

- The prevalence of self-reported dysphagia in non-institutionalized elderly individuals was 30%.
- Individuals with 10–19 natural teeth had a 52% higher risk of self-reported dysphagia compared to those with more teeth.
- A lower number of teeth and use of removable prostheses were associated with increased dysphagia occurrence.

## Abstract

To investigate the association between the number of permanent teeth and the use of removable dental prostheses with self-reported dysphagia occurrence in individuals aged 60 years or older.

A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted with 5,432 old individuals who participated in the baseline of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Elderly Health (ELSI-Brazil). The outcome "dysphagia" was associated with the number of permanent teeth and the use of removable dental prostheses. Sociodemographic independent variables (age, sex, and race/ethnicity) and clinical history variables (no morbidity, one morbidity, or more than two morbidities) were analyzed using Poisson Regression with robust variance and their respective 95% confidence intervals (CI).

The prevalence of self-reported dysphagia in non-institutionalized old individuals was 30%. The group of old individuals with 10 – 19 natural teeth showed a 52% increased risk of self-reported dysphagia complaint (PRadj 1,565 IC95% 1,34;1,826) compared to their counterparts with more teeth.

An association was found between a lower number of teeth and removable prostheses with the occurrence of dysphagia.

Verificar a associação entre o número de dentes e uso de prótese dentária removível e a ocorrência de disfagia autorreferida em idosos de 60 anos ou mais.

Estudo transversal de base populacional com 5.432 idosos, que participaram da linha de base do Estudo Longitudinal da Saúde do Idoso (ELSI-Brasil). O desfecho “disfagia” foi associado ao número de dentes permanentes e ao uso de prótese dentária removível. As variáveis independentes sociodemográficas (idade, sexo e cor/raça) e de histórico clínico (nenhuma morbidade, uma morbidade ou mais de duas morbidades) utilizando Regressão de Poisson com variância robusta e seus respectivos intervalos de confiança (IC) de 95% foram analisados.

A prevalência de disfagia autorreferida nos idosos não institucionalizados foi de 30%. O grupo de idosos com 10 – 19 dentes permanentes apresentou um risco de 52% de queixa de disfagia autorreferida (RPaj 1,565 IC95% 1,34;1,826) se comparado com seus pares com mais dentes.

foi encontrada associação entre o menor número de dentes e próteses removíveis com a ocorrência de disfagia.