[Dental caries incidence in adolescents in a city Northeast Brazil, 2006].
The main objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of tooth decay in adolescents, associated with socioeconomic status, access to services, and self-perceived oral health. This was a longitudinal study using an epidemiological survey of dental caries and a structured questionnaire with a sample of 688 adolescents residing in Sobral, Ceará State, Brazil. Incidence increased progressively with age, from 1.60 at 12 years of age to 2.28 at 15, with a mean incidence of 1.86 decayed teeth per adolescent. Among the study variables, tooth pain in the previous six months [RR = 1.46 (1.22-1.76)], school lunch [RR = 1.45 (1.21-1.74)], frequency of dental appointments [RR = 1.48 (1.33-1.79)], and access to the Health Service [RR = 1.21 (1.01-1.45)], adjusted by perceived need for treatment, were associated with high caries incidence. It is essential for health professionals and health system managers to formulate public policies that are not limited merely to clinical and preventive aspects, encouraging the population to struggle for better living conditions and allowing equitable access to services and developing collective management of health actions.
Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Fortaleza, Brasil. noro@unifor.br
Luiz Roberto Augusto
LR
Noro
Angelo Giuseppe
AG
Roncalli
Francisco Ivan Rodrigues
FI
Mendes Júnior
Kenio Costa
KC
Lima
D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires