From epidemiology to interculturality: overview of scientific production on indigenous oral health in Brazil (1999–2025)

Abstract

Introduction: Despite advances in public policies aimed at Indigenous health, the scientific literature on Indigenous Oral Health (OH) in Brazil remains characterized by the limited incorporation of intercultural perspectives and Indigenous protagonism. Objective: To analyze the scientific literature on Indigenous oral health in Brazil from 1999 to 2025, considering its temporal distribution, methodological characteristics, institutional and geographic origins, and thematic areas. Material and Method: A scoping review was conducted using the BVS/LILACS and PubMed/MEDLINE databases. Result: A total of 7,506 records were identified, of which 60 studies met the inclusion criteria. Scientific production spanned 22 years, from 1999 to 2025, with an average of 2.7 publications per year and no linear growth trend. The highest annual output occurred in 2018, with nine publications. The studies were published across 35 journals, with Ciência & Saúde Coletiva accounting for 28.5% of publications and Cadernos de Saúde Pública for 14.2%. Most articles were published in English (68.3%), and quantitative designs predominated (83%). São Paulo was the leading state in scientific production (28.3%), followed by Rio de Janeiro. The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation was the most productive institution (23.3%), followed by the University of São Paulo (16.7%). Regarding thematic approaches, oral disease epidemiology predominated (55%), followed by anthropology and culture (15%), social inequalities and health services (11.7% each), and oral morphology/oral biology (6.67%). Conclusion: Scientific production on Indigenous Oral Health in Brazil remains predominantly focused on epidemiological and quantitative approaches, with limited incorporation of intercultural perspectives and Indigenous cosmoperceptions, highlighting the need for broader epistemological approaches within the field.