Pathways Between Religiosity and Tooth Loss in Older Adults in Brazil.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the direct and indirect pathways between religiosity and tooth loss in older adults from Brazil. We analyzed the data of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging, a nationally representative study of individuals aged 50 years or older. The pathways were analyzed through structural equation modeling. A total of 9073 individuals were evaluated. It was observed that oral hygiene and smoking were mediators of the relationship between religiosity and tooth loss, through spirituality and social support, respectively. Spirituality also directly influenced the tooth loss.