Abstract

SILVA, Alexandre Emidio Ribeiro; LANGLOIS, Caroline de Oliveira  and  SANTOS, Thiago Silva dos. Study on oral health of elderly patients linked to a Family Health Program, who take antihypertensive medication. RGO, Rev. gaúch. odontol. (Online) [online]. 2011, vol.59, n.3, pp. 439-443. ISSN 1981-8637.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between the use of antihypertensive drugs and changes in the oral health of elderly hypertensive patients of the Family Health Program (FHP3) in Cachoeira do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, through a cross-sectional search. Methods Data collection was conducted through interviews of a structured script type, and clinical examinations were performed by a single examiner. Forty-nine elderly hypertensive patients of both sexes, who were registered at the family health unit, were examined. The data were tabulated using the SPSS 10.0 software application, according to the study variables, and a correlation analysis, chi-square test and descriptive analysis were performed. Results The results showed that 67.3% were female, 42.9% were in the 60-70 age range, 71.4% received the minimum wage and 38.8% were illiterate. With regard to appointments with dentists, 70.8% of them had not been to the dentist's for over a year. It was reported that 98.0% had no toothache. As for the oral mucosa, 90.0% had no pain, 55.0% reported a dry mouth and 89.8% used a dental prosthesis. The DMF index was 28.91, with a predominance of the missing component. There was no statistical difference between use of drugs and sensation of dry mouth (p = 0.131), alteration of mucosa and a feeling of dry mouth (p = 0.414) and edentulism with sensation of dry mouth (p = 0236). The correlation between edentulism and mucosa lesions was not significant. The type of antihypertensive medication most commonly used was Captopril (16.3%). Conclusion Most of the population under investigation is completely edentulous, and the conclusion was that there are no statistically significant differences between the use of antihypertensive drugs and changes in oral health.

Keywords : Old age assistance.; Hypertension.; Oral health..