Avaliação clínica da mastigação em idosos da comunidade

Abstract

Purpose: to characterize the mastication of community dwelling elderly and investigate the presence of masticatory disorders. Methods: this is a cross-sectional study. Data collection was performed through interviews and clinical evaluation of chewing with a record of dental situation through a protocol adapted for the research. Descriptive and analytical statistical analysis was performed. Results: the sample consisted of 79 elderly aged ≥ 60 years, in which 66 (83.5%) were women and 13 (16.5%) men, and it was verified through clinical evaluation of chewing that 54 (68.4%) tore food with teeth, 57 (72.2%) had sealed lips, 76 (96.2%) without food escape, 21 (26.6%) had unilateral masticatory type grade 1, 71 (89.9%) had chewing inefficiency, 100% did not present compensatory head movements, 69 (87.3%) did not present altered head posture and 77 (97.5%) did not present contraction of the facial muscles, the average of masticatory cycles was 33.35 (±14.19). In the dental situation 100% presented dental loss, there was an average of 10.34 (±8.44) dental elements present, 64 (81%) users of dental prosthesis, 43 (54.4%) classified in group A of the Eichner Index. A negative and weak correlation was observed between age and total of dental elements (r = -0.282; p = 0.012) by Pearson Correlation test. Conclusion: there was a high frequency of masticatory alteration in the elderly studied, characterized mainly by alteration in food seizure, unilateral masticatory type and absent masticatory efficiency