title: Dental erosion amongst 13- and 14-year-old Brazilian schoolchildren.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of dental erosion in a sample of 13- and 14-year-old Brazilian schoolchildren and to assess the relationship of dental erosion and socio-demographic characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 458 children (190 boys and 268 girls) from 14 schools in Três Corações, south east Brazil, was examined. Socio-demographic data were collected by self-completion questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dental erosion was observed in 34.1% of subjects, involving enamel only and showing a symmetrical distribution. The palatal surfaces of the upper incisors were the most commonly affected surfaces. Erosion experience was higher in boys; pupils from Government funded schools; those resident in rural areas and those from the high economic class, but none of these were statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data are the first to show that in a cohort of 13-14-year old Brazilian schoolchildren, approximately one third of those examined showed mild erosion, requiring clinical preventive counselling. No statistically significant association was observed between erosion, gender and socioeconomic factors.
authors: The School of Dental Sciences, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors: Sheyla M
authors: SM
authors: Auad
authors: Paula J
authors: PJ
authors: Waterhouse
authors: June H
authors: JH
authors: Nunn
authors: Nick
authors: N
authors: Steen
authors: Paula J
authors: PJ
authors: Moynihan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005380:Financing, Government / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D014077:Tooth Erosion / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data