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Dental caries in inland Brazilian adolescents and its relationship with social determinants
Assaf, Andréa Videira; Caldo-Teixeira, Angela Scarparo; Silveira, Flavia Maia; Valente, Maria Isabel Bastos; Ditterich, Rafael Gomes & Barcelos, Roberta
Abstract
Aim: To identify the prevalence of dental caries in inland Brazilian adolescents, and to analyze the
influence of socio-demographic and clinical variables, and access to dental service on caries
experience. Methods: This study had a non-probabilistic sample comprising 504 adolescents
aged 12 years, attending public schools in the city of Nova Friburgo, mountain region of Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil. The World Health Organization (WHO, 1997) criterion was used by previously
calibrated examiners to report dental caries. Variables were obtained by means of a semistructured
questionnaire applied to the adolescents’ parents. Results: The D3MFT mean was
1.90 and the Significant Caries (SIC) Index was 4.54, mainly represented by the carious component.
Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that parents with over 8 years of schooling (OR=0.579),
absence of pain (OR=0.396) and not visiting the dentist (OR=0.270) might suggest protective
factors against the disease; the possible risk factors were male gender (OR=1.982) and pain,
extraction and others were reasons for consultation (OR=2.435). Conclusions: Although the
prevalence of caries was slightly below the national mean, polarization of the disease was clearly
observed. Education and no access to the dentist led to protection against the disease. These
results may contribute to planning of oral health actions directed towards this target population for
the control of caries.
Keywords
risk factors; social class; dental caries
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