[Oral health status in people 60 years old or older in the municipality of São Paulo (Brazil)]. / Condições de saúde bucal em pessoas de 60 anos ou mais no Município de São Paulo (Brasil).

The oral health status of people aged 60 years or over in S. Paulo in 1989 is discussed. According to data relating to dental caries, periodontal diseases, need and use of prosthesis and prevalence of hard and soft oral tissue pathologies, this study concludes that elder people present a very bad oral health status. The definition of a policy and dental care programs addressed to the aged are recommended.

[Relation of disease patterns and dental care services]. / Relacionamento entre padrões de doença e serviços de atenção odontológica.

Oral care services are examined as one of the variables related to the oral disease patterns of a population as well as other factors such as social and economic level, culture, nutrition patterns and the degree of global development of each country which play a more important role in determining the level of health in the community is analysed. The dramatic situation in the developing countries, which have emulated the oral care services and human resources training models of industrialized countries (large numbers of professionals who render services only to those who can pay for them), which have led to an increasing prevalence of oral diseases, is described. It shows that the main challenge to the profession at the present time is the building up of dental services rooted in social issues and aimed at the population at large.

Saude bucal no Brasil. / Oral health in Brazil

Apresenta-se um retrato sobre a saude bucal no Brasil, com enfase em informacoes relativas a situacao economica e epidemiologica, prevencao da carie dental, recursos humanos, montante de gastos financeiros e estrutura de prestacao de servicos.O pais mostra quadro tipico de uma area em desenvolvimento, com elevada incidencia de problemas, crescente oferta de cirurgioes-dentistas e dificil acesso aos servicos ofertados mormente face a barreiras de ordem economica. Visando expandir cuidados odontologicos e reduzir a incidencia dos principais problemas, propoe-se um programa de servicos basicos de ambito nacional

Prevencao da carie dental: a questao da fluoretacao do sal / Prevention of dental caries: the question of salt fluoridation

Discute-se a viabilidade da utilizacao do sal de cozinha como veiculo para o fluor no processo de prevencao da carie no Brasil.Com base na analise do estudo da Colombia, e na experiencia brasileira com o metodo similar de iodacao do sal, conclui-se que o emprego do sal fluoretado e valido somente em areas restritas e sob controle tecnico. A fluoretacao da agua constitui o metodo de escolha para o pais, que devera concentrar seus esforcos na tentativa de sua maxima expansao