title: [Factors associated with oral health habits and use of dental services by adolescents].
abstract: This was a cross-sectional study of 1,170 seventh-grade adolescents from the municipal public school system in Gravataí, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, investigating the association between socio-demographic, psychosocial, and lifestyle factors and oral health habits and use of dental services. Data were analyzed by Cox regression, modified for cross-sectional studies. Females showed higher frequency of brushing, as did adolescents that reported not feeling alone or discriminated. Daily flossing was associated with higher socioeconomic status (SES), use of private dental services, parental understanding, and lack of feeling of loneliness. Frequency of annual dental visits was higher among individuals with higher SES. Preventive dental checkups were more frequent among individuals with higher SES, those who felt understood by their parents, and those who did not habitually eat candy. Oral health habits were associated with family SES and psychosocial factors except for frequency of annual dental visits. As for lifestyle, low candy consumption had a positive impact on reasons for use of dental appointments.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Canoas, Brasil. rosanedavoglio@via-rs.net
authors.forename: Rosane Silvia
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Davoglio
authors.forename: Denise Rangel Ganzo de Castro
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Aerts
authors.forename: Claídes
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abegg
authors.forename: Silvia Letícia
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Freddo
authors.forename: Lisiane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monteiro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D015438:Health Behavior; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data