Prevalence of dental caries and gingivitis in a population of Mexican schoolchildren

Association between toothbrushing frequency and dental caries and tooth loss in adolescents: a cohort study

This cohort study assessed the association between toothbrushing frequency and the increment of dental caries and tooth loss in a population-based sample of southern Brazilian adolescents, to investigate whether there is any additional benefit in performing a third daily brushing. At baseline, 1,528 12-year-old schoolchildren attending 42 schools were examined for gingivitis and dental caries, and answered a questionnaire. After a mean period of 2.5 years, 801 schoolchildren were re-examined. Dental caries and tooth loss increment were outcomes of the study. The main predictor variable was toothbrushing frequency (≥3 times/day vs. twice/day or ≤1 time/day). Poisson regression models were used to estimate the risk for caries and tooth loss increment. Incidence risk ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated. The final model adjusted for sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical variables showed that brushing twice/day afforded 40% greater risk (IRR = 1.40; 95%CI: 1.02-1.92) for caries increment than ≥3 times/day. Regarding the tooth loss increment, adolescents who brushed their teeth twice/day had a fourfold greater risk (IRR = 3.92; 95%CI: 1.23-12.49) than those who brushed ≥ 3 times/day. Sex, school type, and gingivitis were found to act as effect modifiers, inasmuch as a third daily brushing presented advantages against tooth loss only for girls, public school attendees, and those with ≥ 50% of bleeding sites. This study suggests that adolescents benefit from a third daily toothbrushing. Increasing brushing frequency to 3 times/day may be a suitable strategy to control dental caries and tooth loss among high-risk adolescents.

Comparative Study of Dental Health Status and Its Determinants among Children Attending Government and Private Schools in Kanpur City

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of dental caries and gingivitis and its relation to various determinants like dietary habits, habits related to oral health, and oral hygiene practice among private and government school children of age 6–12 years in Kanpur City. A total of 1,550 children (775 from government school and 775 from private school) were selected. Overall, 60% children presented with caries. Prevalence of caries was significantly more associated with government school children (63.1%) compared with private school children (56.9%). The mean deft scores were high in government school children (1.08 ± 1.91) compared with private school children (0.93 ± 1.53). This was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The DMFT scores were also high among government school children (0.84 ± 1.25) compared with private school children (0.67 ± 1.19). This was statistically significant (p < 0.05). On the whole, out of 1,550 children only 17.8% children presented with gingivitis, in which majority had mild form of gingivitis when compared with moderate and severe forms. The prevalence of gingivitis was relatively high among government school children (55%) compared with private school children (45%). This was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Summing up, a conclusion could be drawn that the prevalence of both dental caries and gingivitis depends on the state of the oral hygiene habits and practices, correspondingly, due to schoolchildren's knowledge of individual oral hygiene and skills.

Acesso a orientações de higiene bucal entre escolares da rede pública de ensino

Introdução: O acesso à educação em saúde bucal é considerado um importante preditor para avaliação das condições e dos comportamentos em saúde bucal. Crianças com 12 anos estão, em sua maioria, inseridas no ambiente escolar, sendo a escola um ambiente educacional e social propício para que conhecimentos e mudanças de comportamento sejam trabalhados. Objetivo: Propõe-se identificar a prevalência do acesso a orientações de higiene bucal entre escolares da Rede Pública de Ensino e os fatores associados a esse acesso. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, analítico, conduzido entre escolares de 12 anos de idade de um município brasileiro de grande porte populacional. Os exames foram realizados por 24 Cirurgiões-Dentistas treinados e calibrados com auxílio de 24 anotadores. A coleta de dados ocorreu em 36 escolas públicas, sorteadas dentre as 89 escolas do município. Foram conduzidas análises descritivas, univariadas e múltiplas (OR/IC95%). Resultado: Dos 2.755 escolares avaliados, 2.510 foram incluídos. Destes, 2.173 (86,6%) receberam orientações de higiene bucal. O acesso a orientações de higiene bucal foi maior entre escolares do sexo masculino e dentre os que utilizaram serviços odontológicos privados ou por convênio. Foi menor entre os que usaram o serviço odontológico para tratamento e há mais de um ano, dentre os que não recebiam assistência odontológica na escola e entre aqueles que relataram uma frequência de higiene bucal de uma vez por dia. Conclusão: A maioria dos escolares teve acesso a orientações de higiene bucal, estando este acesso associado a variáveis referentes aos determinantes pessoais, ao serviço de saúde e aos comportamentos.

[Prevalence of cavities among adolescents in public and private schools in João Pessoa, Paraíba State, Brazil]

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the prevalence of cavities among adolescents in public and private schools in João Pessoa, Paraíba State, Brazil, comparing the DMFT in terms of gender and age, as well as education levels and quality among mothers in these two types of schools. The sample consisted of 3,330 adolescents between twelve and fifteen years old: 1,665 attending public schools and 1,665 attending private schools. The DMFT was evaluated by the WHO criteria (1997), using the Kappa (0.92) intra-examiner agreement for cavity diagnoses and the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis statistical analyses. The prevalence of cavities in public schools was 51.6%, compared to 9.3% in private schools. The DMFT for girls was 4.79 and 3.46 for boys in public schools (p<0.0001) and 2.11 and 1.65 (p=0.0007) in private schools. At the age of 12 years, the DMFT was 3.37 in public schools and 1.35 in private schools, while for the age of 15 it was 5.65 and 2.88 for each type of school. Among children whose mothers graduated from high school, the average DMFT was 4.21 in public schools and 1.81 in private schools. The prevalence of cavities was higher among girls in public schools, increasing with age and decreasing with higher education levels among mothers.

Electrophoretic analysis of whole saliva and prevalence of dental caries. A study in Mexican dental students

BACKGROUND

Variability in salivary proteins and their posttranslational modifications may play an important role in determining their protective features against dental caries. Knowledge of molecular content of saliva in different populations is important for a better understanding of protective properties of this biological fluid. Aims of this study were to analyze electrophoretic pattern and protein composition in resting human whole saliva (HWS) of a Mexican population and to correlate these data with decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index in these subjects.

METHODS

Resting human whole saliva samples were collected from 120 healthy Mexican dental students. Salivary flow rate, protein concentration, and electrophoretic profile analyzed qualitatively by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) were correlated with DMFT index. Gels were successively triple-stained with Coomassie brilliant blue R250, periodic acid Schiff (PAS), silver stain, and salivary molecules were scored as absent (-), present (+/-), and high intensity and size (+).

RESULTS

These showed no substantial differences in number of bands between males and females; however, a slight correlation between total protein concentration and sex was found (p <or=0.05). With regard to salivary proteins and DMFT index, subjects with higher DMFT indices presented significant reduction or absence of high-molecular-weight mucin glycoprotein-1 (MG1), low-molecular-weight mucin glycoprotein-2 (MG2), and acidic proline-rich protein-1 (PRP-1), differing from subjects with lower DMFT indices (p <or=0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study concludes that genetic phenotypic polymorphism is present in the population studied and has correlations with oral health. We found specific characteristics and individual variability in number, intensity, and apparent molecular weight of band features in this Mexican population. These studies provide the initial step for creating an HWS database in this population.

Relação entre cárie, gengivite e fluorose e nível socioeconômico em escolares

OBJETIVO: Determinar a relação entre o nível socioeconômico e a prevalência de cárie dentária, gengivite e fluorose em escolares brasileiros. MÉTODOS: Foram examinados mil escolares de 12 anos de idade provenientes das redes particular e pública de ensino. Os índices utilizados foram: Índice de Dentes ou Superfícies Cariadas, Perdidas e Obturadas (CPOD ou CPOS), Índice de Sangramento Gengival (ISG) e Índice de Thylstrup e Feyerskov (ITF). O nível socioeconômico foi determinado pela renda per capita e pelo nível educacional dos pais. RESULTADOS: O nível educacional dos pais apresentou forte correlação de Pearson com a renda per capita. Correlações extremamente fracas, quase nulas, foram observadas entre o nível educacional dos pais e os eventos examinados. Foram observadas diferenças nos eventos examinados (p<0,05) separando-se a amostra em escolares das redes particular e pública. O CPOD na rede particular foi de 1,54±2,02 e na pública foi de 2,48±2,51; o ISG foi de 14,7%±12,7% na rede particular e de 21,7%±17,9% na pública; e a prevalência de fluorose foi de 60,8% e 49,9%, respectivamente. Os indivíduos com maior número de superfícies com experiência de cárie e os de maior número de superfícies sangrantes situaram-se nas escolas públicas. CONCLUSÕES: Não se observou correlação das variáveis do nível socioeconômico com os eventos estudados. Outras variáveis socioeconômicas podem estar contribuindo para as diferenças observadas nos escolares das redes particular e pública.

Oral health in Latvian 15-year-olds

Oral hygiene, caries and periodontal conditions were assessed in a representative sample of 15-year-old Latvian schoolchildren, comprising 506 subjects. Caries, diagnosed on the cavity level, was detected in 97.6% of the population. The mean DMFT and DMFS were 8.1 and 14.1, respectively. Although 91% of the children had had restorative treatment, the D component accounted on average for 33% of the DMFS score. Visible dental plaque was found in 98.4% of the children; in a majority (88%) abundant plaque deposits were recorded. Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN) was assessed by standard WHO methods. Deviation from periodontal health was observed in 90.7% of the children. Calculus was recorded in 26.1% and gingival pockets in 25.9% of the sample. Additionally, 38.7% of the children had gingival bleeding. The mean number of sextants with healthy periodontal conditions was 2.5. Calculus and pocketing averaged 0.6 and 0.4 sextants, respectively. Attachment loss, recorded in 11.7% of the subjects, did not exceed 3 mm. The results showed high caries prevalence, considerable need for treatment and virtual absence of oral hygiene.