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Background The prevalence of dental caries is high in adolescents worldwide, and a large percentage have never been to a dentist or have not had regular dental appointments. Aim To evaluate the influence of oral health literacy and sociodemographic, clinical, and family factors on dental visits among early adolescents. Design A cross-sectional study was conducted with 740 12-year-old students in Campina Grande, Brazil. Students answered about their level of oral health literacy (BREALD-30), levels of family adaptability and cohesion (FACES III), and visits to the dentist sometime in life. Dental caries experience was evaluated using Nyvad criteria. Robust Poisson regression for complex samples was performed. Results A higher level of oral health literacy (PR = 1.01; 95% CI: 1.01-1.03), high social class (PR = 1.28; 95% CI: 1.09-1.50), higher mother's schooling (PR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.37-1.83), family cohesion classified as enmeshed (PR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.19-2.02) and connected (PR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.02-1.44), and the absence of toothache (PR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.01-1.38) remained associated with having visited a dentist. Conclusions Oral health literacy and sociodemographic, family, and clinical factors were predictors of having visited a dentist among early adolescents.

The aim of the present study was to investigate dental caries and caries activity as well as determine associations with sociodemographic factors and visits to the dentist among 5-year-old children. Seven hundred sixty-nine children enrolled in preschools in a medium-sized city in northeast Brazil participated in the study. Two examiners who had undergone training exercises performed the examinations using the ICDAS-II. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression for complex samples were performed (α = 5%). An inductive decision tree was created for the occurrence of cavitated lesions (J48 algorithm). The prevalence of caries was 91.5% (59.5% cavitated lesions and 32.0% white spots). Among the children diagnosed with caries, 87.1% had active caries. In the multivariate analysis, low income (OR = 2.90; 95% CI: 1.05–8.05) and having visited a dentist for treatment (OR = 7.94; 95% CI: 2.58–24.39) were associated with dental caries (white spot and/or cavitated lesion). For caries activity, low income (OR = 4.63; 95% CI: 1.60–13.35) and having visited a dentist for treatment (OR = 4.80; 95% CI: 2.06–11.18) remained in the final model. In the decision tree, the following variables were predictors of cavitated lesions: lower parent schooling level (p

To evaluate the prevalence of sleep bruxism and associated factors among children aged 3–12 years as reported by parents via a questionnaire. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 148 parents/caregivers of children aged 3–12 years treated at paediatric dentistry clinics. Parents/caregivers answered a questionnaire in the waiting room. Information on the gender and age of the child, age of parent/caregiver, meaning of bruxism and child’s sleep (type of sleep, if he/she slept alone, hours of sleep per night and if nocturnal bruxism could affect his/her health) were collected. Descriptive statistics were performed and Poisson regression with robust variance was employed (p

There are no longitudinal studies that assess the impact of traumatic dental injury (TDI) on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of preschool children. To investigate the impact of TDI on OHRQoL among preschool children, a population-based case–control study was carried out with a representative sample of 335 children, 3–5 years of age, enrolled at public and private preschools in the city of Campina Grande, Brazil. The case group and the control group were matched for age, gender, type of preschool and monthly household income at a ratio of 1:4 (67 cases and 286 controls). Impact on the OHRQoL of children was assessed through administration of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS). The occurrence of TDI was determined through clinical examinations performed by three calibrated dentists. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, McNemar’s test, the chi-square test with linear trend and conditional logistic regression analysis [P ≤ 0.05; 95% confidence interval (95% CI)]. The most frequent responses were ‘felt pain’ (19.4%) and ‘difficulty eating’ (16.4%). The prevalence of TDI was 37.3% in the case group and 33.9% in the control group. No statistically significant differences were found between case and control groups regarding the presence of TDI (odds ratio = 1.16; 95% CI: 0.66–2.02). TDI had no impact on the quality of life of preschool children.

The objective of this study was to evaluate prediction factors for failure to seek treatment following a traumatic dental injury (TDI) to primary teeth among preschool children in the city of Campina Grande, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 277 children 3 to 5 years of age, with TDI, enrolled in public and private preschools. Parents filled out a form addressing demographic data and whether or not they had sought treatment. Clinical examinations were performed by three dentists who had undergone a calibration exercise (Kappa: 0.85 to 0.90) for the evaluation of TDI. Bivariate and multivariate Poisson regression models were constructed (α = 5%). Enamel fracture was the most prevalent type of TDI (48.7%) and the upper central incisors were the most affected teeth (88.4%). The frequency of seeking dental treatment was low (9.7%). The following variables were associated with failure to seek treatment following TDI: a household income greater than one minimum wage (PR = 1.170; 95%CI 1.018-1.341), parents/caregivers’ perception of a child’s oral health as poor (PR = 1.100; 95%CI 1.026-1.176), and the non-perception of TDI by parents/caregivers (PR = 1.250; 95%CI 1.142-1.360). In the present study, the frequency of seeking treatment following TDI was low, and parents/caregivers with a higher income, a poor perception of their child’s oral health and a lack of awareness regarding the trauma were more likely to fail to seek treatment following TDI to primary teeth.

The scope of this paper is to assess the attitudes and behaviors regarding alcohol use and analyze associated factors among schoolchildren in public schools of Campina Grande in the state of Paraíba. A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 574 adolescents, with the application of a semi-structured questionnaire. The chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were used (5% level of significance). Among the adolescents 54.5% had drunk alcohol and 6.7% of them were heavy drinkers. The majority of them drank alcohol between 11 and 14 years of age (42.8%); 26.3% of the adolescents purchased alcoholic beverages; and beer was the most drink most consumed (43.8%). The risk of alcohol drinking was higher between 16 and 19 years of age (OR = 4.44; p < 0.001), among those without religious affiliation (OR = 4.36; p = 0.002), among those who worked (OR = 2.13; p = 0.012) and among those who had a fair to poor relationship with their father (OR = 2.18; p = 0.010). The results of this study underscore the complexity of this issue and the need to pay particular attention to the adolescent population. Public policies alone are not sufficient. Support from family, school and society is essential to curtail early alcohol use and its consequences.

This study aimed to assess the impact of traumatic dental injury (TDI) on the quality of life of preschoolers and their families. A cross-sectional study was carried out, with a sample of 814 children, aged three to five years old, in Campina Grande, Brazil. Parents/caregivers were asked to complete the Brazilian Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale and a questionnaire on socio-demographic data. Oral examinations of the children were performed by three previously calibrated dentists. Bivariate and multiple Poisson regression analyses were performed (α = 5%). The prevalence of negative impact from oral conditions on quality of life was 31.1% among the children and 24.7% among the families. TDI was not associated with a negative impact on quality of life. Parent/caregiver’s assessment of the child’s oral health (PR = 1.210; 95% CI: 1.027–1.426) and history of toothache (PR = 4.997; 95% CI: 2.943–8.493) remained in the final model for the child section, whereas only a history of toothache (PR = 2.791; 95% CI: 1.801–4.325) remained in the final model for the family section. TDI exerted no negative impact on quality of life in the present sample. A history of toothache was the only variable associated with a negative impact on the quality of life of the preschoolers and their families.