ANALYSIS OF BRAZILIAN ORAL HEALTH EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEYS: A METHODOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

Introduction: Epidemiological surveys in oral health seek to assess the health situation and carry out surveillance of health actions. Objective: The objective of this study is to analyze the methodologies utilized in the National Epidemiological Surveys on Oral Health in Brazil, aiming to contribute to its improvement, considering local realities. Methods: This is a descriptive, observational study with an ecological design. The analysis is based on the notable Brazilian epidemiological surveys. Results: The development of instruments and indices guided the structuring of the analysis of community situational injuries, decentralizing the tool as a potential resource for regional diagnoses. The surveys highlighted epidemiological changes in oral health in Brazil in recent years, as well as a review of the World Health Organization's recommendations for epidemiological surveys in oral health. Conclusions: In summary, the comprehensive reflections for constructing national-level oral health diagnoses express the technical-scientific and political maturation of epidemiology and collective oral health.