Guaranis Mbyá: saúde bucal da criança indígena

Abstract

The number of indigenous people in the country has been growing since new criteria for considering indigenous status were adopted. Within the Guarani group, there are several subgroups, such as the Kayová, Ñandevá, and Mbyá. Since contact with Western culture, indigenous people have been experiencing changes in their environment, influencing their nutritional and oral health status. Studies conducted on indigenous populations indicate nutritional inadequacies, infectious diseases, poor sanitary conditions, and limited dietary diversity. The main oral health problems found in this group are dental caries, periodontal disease, and edentulism. It is important to consider that an indigenous patient brings their interpretations of the world around them; cultural factors must be respected throughout the work, seeking to understand and utilize the natural resources found in the indigenous community. The main objective of this study was to conduct a literature review on the oral health of the Mbyá-Guarani indigenous people, integrating their cultural practices and traditions into the approach to health issues. To achieve this, we focused on the following main points: Conduct a comprehensive review, gathering and analyzing existing studies on oral health in indigenous populations, with a focus on the specificities of the Mbyá-Guarani; Understand indigenous practices in oral health, identifying traditional oral care practices among the Mbyá-Guarani and how their beliefs and customs impact oral health; Identify the main oral health problems, based on the articles, we analyzed the main oral health conditions faced by the population. Finally, our study seeks to strengthen indigenous cultural identity, integrating traditional and scientific knowledge.