Epidemiology and Social Inequalities of Periodontal Disease in Brazil

INTRODUCTION The relationship between social inequality and population health profiles are the subject of studies in oral health, which have shown that both dental caries and periodontal disease are more prevalent in socially disadvantaged individuals. The association with the socio-economic factor, in chronic diseases, reflects risk factors related to the social environment such as smoking and psychosocial stress (1, 2). The importance of epidemiological studies on oral health, regarding prevalence and severity, rests in the planning of public policies for prevention and care in health services (3). This allows the design of individual and community health strategies for prevention, treatment, and control of periodontal disease, in addition to understanding the levels of demand among people needing periodontal care. In Brazil, there are great many studies related to dental caries in the child population (3, 4). In relation to periodontal health, the number is limited, using various methodologies for case classification, complicating the planning of these actions and comparison of results (2, 5). In international studies, it is noticed that gingivitis and periodontitis are more prevalent in populations with lower socio-economic indicators, such as income and education level (4).