ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To provide a systematic review on the demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with edentulism among older persons. BACKGROUND: Edentulism (complete loss of the natural teeth) is one of the main problems affecting the oral health of the elderly individuals. Many unfavourable socioeconomic factors are considered important predictors of edentulism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This review was performed according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA). The search for published studies was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, SciELO, Google and Google Scholar. Only observational epidemiological studies published in either English or Portuguese prior to June 2018 were included in our study. The bibliographic and methodological characteristics of the selected studies were evaluated. The Review Manager 5.3 software was used in the meta-analysis. RESULTS: We identified 343 articles, 24 of which met all the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Unfavourable demographic and socioeconomic conditions were associated with the highest proportion of edentulous individuals. Age, level of education, and socioeconomic status were the main factors that were found to influence edentulism among elderly individuals. The meta-analysis results showed a lower risk of edentulism in men (OR = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.90-0.96) and no significant differences in the risk of developing edentulism among different races/ethnicities or skin colours (OR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.45-1.01). CONCLUSION: Better socioeconomic conditions and male sex were identified as protective factors against edentulism among older individuals. Thus, public policies aimed at helping the most vulnerable populations must be implemented.
