Senior citizens`s oral health perceptions in a long term living institution.

Abstract

Objective: the objective of this study is to avaliate institutionalized senior citizens’ perception of their oral hygine, comparing their perception as to the reality found in the literature and to orientate them about the importance of performing an auto exam so we could detect their difficulties on this task. Methodology: data was collected about the perception of oral hygine of the population studied from two fill-out forms, one about their own perception and the other comparing their auto-exams versus the reseacher’s clinical oral exam. Results: it was observed that the majority of the participants considered their oral health to be good, as of sometimes this was not seen clinically. On the other hand , the auto-exam was performed easily. Conclusion: it was concluded that senior citizens have an auto-perception of oral health far from the reality found and this makes necessary other educative matters as promoting and prevent health to allow an effective learning capacity for their own benefit.