Cárie dentária nas populações indígenas e seus determinantes sociais

Abstract

Dental decay is the most common oral disease among indigenous populations. The high caries index is related to socioeconomic status, historic and environment changes during the expansion of western civilization. The Dahlgren and Whitehead’s model proposes a framework of Social Determinants of Health (SDH) that have been impacted on the health-disease process. The aim of this study was to review the literature on the association of dental caries with their SDH in indigenous people living in Brazil and overseas. Bireme and PubMed were the databases used in the literature search. Scientific articles published over the period 2007-2017 using the subject headings ‘indigenous population’ and ‘dental caries’, without any other restriction were searched. Twenty two articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were analysed. Studies suggest that SDH have influenced significantly the experience of caries within indigenous population. The key factors were diet, income, remoteness, use of dental service, household size, education and oral health knowledge, gender role, access to water fluoridation, cultural and family rupture and dental fear. There were similarities within the determinants of indigenous people living in different locations regardless the socioeconomic status of the country they live in. These findings suggest the great need of oral health promotion initiatives that engage in considering the context and environment where a high-caries indigenous population live, not only their individual aspects.