Effects of age and period on functional dentition: an analysis of skin color/race inequalities in the 2003-2023 National Oral Health Surveys (SB Brasil).

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the interaction between age and period in the maintenance of functional dentition among Brazilian adults and older adults in 2003, 2010, and 2023 and to investigate inequalities by skin color or race.

METHODS

Data from the 2003, 2010, and 2023 National Oral Health Surveys were analyzed, forming a time series of repeated cross-sectional studies with 54,557 participants aged 35-44 and 65-74 years. Prevalence ratios (PR) were estimated using quasi-Poisson regression, including terms for age, period, and age-period interaction, with and without adjustment for skin color or race, considering the complex sample design.

RESULTS

The age-period interaction was significant (p<0.001), indicating that temporal changes differed between age groups. Functional dentition prevalence increased from 52.5% (95%CI 48.8-56.1) in 2003 to 73.6% (95%CI 71.4-75.8) in 2023. Among adults, it increased from 71.5 to 96.1%, while among older adults there was a reduction between 2003 and 2010, but in 2023 it was more than twice that observed in 2003. Interaction terms for 2023 were positive and increased with age. After adjusting for skin color or race, mixed-race individuals (PR 0.91; 95%CI 0.88-0.94) and Black individuals (PR 0.95; 95%CI 0.91-0.99) presented lower functional dentition prevalence compared to white individuals, with no significant differences for the remaining groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Functional dentition maintenance showed a significant increase between 2003 and 2023, but with distinct trajectories between adults and older adults, highlighting delayed advances in the older adult population. Inequalities by skin color or race persisted, mainly affecting Black and mixed-race individuals.