Estudo da prevalência de alterações da mucosa bucal entre os indígenas Waimiri-Atroari

Abstract

A cross-sectional study on the oral mucosal conditions among the Waimiri Atroari indians from central Amazonia, Brazil, has been conducted. Theses indians keep their traditional way of life and social organisation, and are free from habits such as tabagism and alcoholism. Brazilian law regarding ethical procedures, as well as other special legal features of research in indian communities, were strictly followed. Out of 922 individuals from the entire population, 587 were examined, and 52.57% of the children up to twelve years and 73.44% of patients aged 13 years or older presented at least one condition of the oral mucosa, rendering a global frequency of 61.70% of affected individuals in this population. The conditions more frequently observed were, in a decreasing order of prevalence, fissured tongue, focal epithelial hyperplasia, lesions of traumatic origin, geographic tongue, Fordyces condition, and candidiasis. Focal epithelial hyperplasia, as a characteristic lesion of indian populations, occurred among the Waimiri Atroari with high prevalence (20.95%). The lesions of the oral mucosa observed among theses indians were essentially the same lesions that have been described in other populations around the world, except for focal epithelial hyperplasia. In the same way, similar associations of the conditions observed to demographic and clinical factors well described in the dental literature were present in this population.