title: Routine dental visits are associated with tooth retention in Brazilian adults: the Pró-Saúde study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates the effect of routine visits for dental check-up on tooth loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional study of university employees, the Rio de Janeiro Pró-Saúde Study, tooth loss was measured as the reported number of missing teeth and routine dental visit as the reported pattern and frequency of visits to the dentist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were obtained from 4,030 individuals (91% of eligible subjects). Odds ratio of excessive tooth loss ("many" or "all" teeth lost) was 2.20 (95% confidence interval [CI]=1.79, 2.72) for subjects who reported visiting the dentist only when in trouble and 1.17 (95% CI=0.90, 1.51) for subjects who reported visiting for routine dental checks every two years or less frequently, compared with those who reported visiting for dental checks at least annually, after controlling for age, sex, education, income, race, smoking, and diet.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a positive effect of routine visits for dental check-up on maintaining teeth. This effect was the same for one year and two years or longer intervals between check-ups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Institute of Social Medicine, University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. joana@visualnet.com.br
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cunha-Cruz
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nadanovsky
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Faerstein
authors.forename: Claudia S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lopes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology*