Indicators of Oral Hygiene and Preventive Dental Care as Variables Associated with the High Severity of Caries

Abstract

Objective: To identify if the presence of dental plaque, dental brushing frequency and preventive dental care are related to the high severity of dental caries. Methods: A case-control study was carried out on a sample of schoolchildren aged 6 to 12 years. We selected 677 children from public schools in the city of León Nicaragua, 283 cases y 394 controls. Using questionnaires addressed to mothers / guardians, a series of sociodemographic, socioeconomic and dental variables were collected. Through oral clinical examination, the dmft and DMFT caries indexes were determined for primary and permanent dentition. The dependent variable was the high severity of caries, which was coded as (1) "dmft + DMFT = 0" and (2) "dmft + DMFT ≥ 6". The chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney test were used in the statistical analysis. Results: In the bivariate analysis, we observed that the associated variables (p<0.05) to high caries severity (dmft + DMFT ≥ 6) were: younger age of the child, younger age of the mother, less brushing frequency, presence of dentobacterial plaque and the pattern of dental care. Conclusions: The results of the study show that the variables related to oral hygiene, both objective measurement (presence of dentobacterial plaque) and subjective measurement (selfreport of toothbrushing frequency), are associated with high severity of dental caries. In addition, according to the pattern of dental care showed association with the severity of caries.

Socioeconomic Inequalities in Visits to the Dentist to Receive Professionally Applied Topical Fluoride in a Developing Country

“…We used data from a cross-sectional study of which other aspects related to oral health were previously published [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 23 ]. The study universe consisted of 18,574 schoolchildren aged 6 to 12 years from elementary schools in the city of León, Nicaragua.…”

Factors Associated with Dental Caries in Primary and Permanent Dentition in Patients Aged 2 to 12 Years who Attended a University Clinic

“…Additionally, several variables were identified as associated with dental caries in both dentitions. There are several factors associated with dental caries that have been previously reported (3,4), and because of the complex interaction in its aetiology, eradication of caries is difficult. Having up-to-date information on oral diseases in children is a useful tool to help with establishing health promotion programs and preventive programs, as well as in the treatment of these diseases, and health workers should use all sources available to document them.…”

“…Dental caries is considered a public health problem around the world because of its high prevalence and incidence in all population groups (4). In Latin America, dental caries is the fourth most prevalent disease, and it shows the greatest burden of disease in the years of healthy life lost (5).…”