Social determinants of health and the occurrence of tooth loss: integrative review

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Social determinants of health (SDH) influence the occurrence of health problems and their risk factors in the population. Therefore, they comprehend social, economic, cultural, psychological and behavioral factors. OBJECTIVE: Investigate the literature for scientific evidence on the influence of SDH on tooth loss, in order to develop a theoretical model proposed to this theme. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This is an integrative review, in which articles indexed in PubMed and Scielo databases were selected from 2012 to 2016, following Cooper's methodological recommendations. The studies that met the eligibility criteria were selected and read in full. Then, the analysis and interpretation of the collected data was performed and, finally, a theoretical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 15 articles were selected and analyzed, of which 12 were cross-sectional and 3 ecological studies. Tooth loss was associated with age, lower level of education, lower socioeconomic status, gender, lower monthly family income, black or brown race/color, among others. In addition, a theoretical model was elaborated by hierarchizing the SDH among the most general factors of social, economic, political nature and the degree of influence over edentulism. CONCLUSION: Several studies show the association between SDH and tooth loss. Thus, the tooth loss index is an important tool for the identification of socially and economically vulnerable populations.