Regular use of dental services among university students in southern Brazil

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To verify the prevalence and factors associated with regular use of dental services in university students of the Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel). METHODS: This cross-sectional study interviewed 1,865 students aged 18 years or older, starting bachelor’s degrees in 2017, enrolled in the second academic semester of 2017 and in the first of 2018 in classroom courses at UFPel. We considered regular users those who reported regularly going to the dentist with or without perceived dental problems. To test factors associated with regular use of dental services, demographic, socioeconomic and oral health variables were collected. Statistical analyses were based on Poisson regression models. RESULTS: The prevalence of regular use of dental services was 45.0% (95%CI 42.7–47.3). University students of high economic class (PR = 1.47; 95%CI 0.91–2.36), with last private dental appointment (PR = 1.29; 95%CI 1.03–1.61), positive self-perception of oral health (PR = 2.33; 95%CI 1.79–3.03) and no report of toothache in the last six months (PR = 1.22; 95%CI 1.03–1.45) showed higher prevalence of regular use of dental services. CONCLUSION: The results point to inequalities in the regular use of dental services related to socioeconomic factors and a lower use among university students with worse oral health conditions. These results suggest that public health prevention and promotion policies in higher education institutions must be carried out to ensure quality of life among these young adults.

Dental knowledge and reasons for non-utilization of dental services among final year undergraduates in a University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

“…There was a female predominance across all faculties and overall mean age of 23.25±2.61 years. This compares with studies done among university students in Southern Brazil and Lithuania that also reported female predominancies [17,18], and contrasts with other studies that reported male predominancies [19,20].…”

Oral health-related quality of life and associated factors in adolescents

“…Psychological discomfort and psychological disability were the dimensions that most contributed to the overall OHIP-14 score, similar to that found in investigation with the same public (Gonzales-Sullcahuamán et al, 2013;Lima, Moimaz, Garbin, Sundefeld, & Saliba, 2016;Miotto et al, 2019;Paredes et al, 2015;Xavier et al, 2016).…”

“…Some studies present the influence by mean and gravity (Colussi et al, 2017;Xavier et al, 2016). However, an approach similar to that of our study is also reported in the literature (Drachev, Brenn, & Trovik, 2018;Gonzales-Sullcahuamán, Ferreira, de Menezes, Paiva, & Fraiz, 2013;Miotto et al, 2019).…”

“…Less than half of the adolescents reported seeking for dental services regularly. A study conducted with academics in the South of the country found a similar prevalence of 45% of regular use and showed an association with socioeconomic class, indicating that the poorest individualsusually those who need it the mostuse dental service less (Echeverria, Silva, Agostini, Schuch, & Demarco, 2020). This reinforces the need to stimulate the habit of dental care and periodic visits to the dentist, especially in this phase of life on which oral health care is overlooked.…”

Preventive dental service use and oral health‐related quality of life in Brazilian older adults

“…6 The literature suggests there is a positive association between regular use of dental services and better oral health status. 8 Despite the recognised importance of oral health, the use of dental services by the older Brazilian adults is infrequent. 9 Taking into account the benefits associated with the use of preventive dental services with regard to better oral health, 10 it is key to identify whether such use is also associated with fewer impacts due to dental problems and, consequently, with better OHRQoL.…”