Dental emergencies in a university pediatric dentistry clinic: a retrospective study Abstract: A significant number of children visit a dentist for the first time due to emergency situations. However, little is known regarding the prevalence, etiology, and treatment provided for children at emergency dental visits. This study aimed to evaluate the profile of children attending a dental school emergency clinic, the reasons for seeking dental care, and the treatment provided. Records of 270 patients who attended an emergency clinic during 2010 were analyzed, and 253 were selected. Demographic, diagnostic, and procedural information was collected. The mean child age was 7.8 years. For 208 children (82%), pain was the main reason for the emergency visit. Nearly 79% of the visits were due to caries, and the most frequently required treatment was endodontic intervention (31.22%). Of the decayed teeth, 61.70% were primary posterior teeth and 31.9% permanent posterior teeth. Pain caused by dental decay was the most frequent chief complaint. A large number of children were brought to the dentist with complaints that had started long before, for which over-the-counter medications had been used.

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This study aimed to evaluate the influence of breastfeeding and pacifier use on the occlusal status of preschool children. A crosssectional study was conducted with children (n = 489) aged 2-5 years in private and public schools in Pelotas, South Brazil. Mothers answered a questionnaire on demographic, socioeconomic and behavioral variables, including breastfeeding and non-nutritive sucking habits. Malocclusion was classified as normal/mild and moderate/severe, according to WHO criteria. The association between breastfeeding and pacifier use with malocclusion was tested using multivariate logistic regression. The prevalence of malocclusion was 37.83% (95%CI 33.52-42.14), and 57.87% of the children used a pacifier. A total of 46.01% of the sample was exclusively breastfed for 6 months, and 24.74% were never breastfed. Malocclusion was associated with pacifier use, and with both non-exclusively breastfed and never breastfed. After adjustments for demographic and socioeconomic variables, the children who used a pacifier and were never breastfed (OR = 19.08; 95%CI 8.54-42.63), or who used a pacifier and were not exclusively breastfed (OR = 13.74; 95%CI 6.11-30.92), showed worse occlusal conditions, compared with the children who were exclusively breastfed and never used a pacifier. Pacifier use modifies the relationship between breastfeeding and occlusal status.

This study showed a positive association between mother's psychological traits and SB development in their toddlers.

The presence of fear increased the effect of pain and caries on children's oral health perception.