[Clinical relevance of tooth brushing in relation to dental caries].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the impact and clinical relevance of tooth brushing on oral health.


METHODS
Prevalence study.


METHODS
Fontiñas Health Centre. (Santiago de Compostela, Spain). Prevalence study (n=281 children aged 5-14 years. Odontological examination according to WHO methodology, to determine the frequency of tooth brushing, frequency of sweet consumption and their impact on the prevalence of caries.


METHODS
Logistic regression and estimation of the relative prevalence difference (RPD) and the Number Needed to Treat in order to prevent one additional bad outcome (NNT).


RESULTS
The children who never brush their teeth have a 40% (95% CI: 24.3%-57.8%) of early caries, while those who brush their teeth several times a day have 15.3% (95% CI: 9.4%-23.7%). An association between not brushing the teeth and caries in primary teeth (OR=2.3; 95% CI:1.05-5.3) was observed after adjusting for age, sweet consumption and visits to the dentist. The same occurred with final teeth (OR=3.9; 95% CI:1.4-10.3). The RPD was 62%(95% CI: 30%-79%), meaning that prevalence of caries is 62% lower in children who brush their teeth several times a day as compared to those who never brush their teeth. The NNT is 4 (95% CI: 2.4-14), so for every 4 children who brush their teeth several times a day, there is one less case of caries, compared to those who never brush their teeth. There is a dose-response relationship between prevalence of caries and brushing frequency. The same effect was observed with definitive caries: RPD=55% (95% CI:16%-76%), NNT=5 (95% CI:2.8-53.3).


CONCLUSIONS
Tooth brushing is related to oral health, with a major clinical impact. The positive effect of tooth brushing was superior to that of a correct diet.
Pita-Fernández
Salvador
S
Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña, España. salvador.pita.fernandez@sergas.es
Pombo-Sánchez
Antonio
A
Suárez-Quintanilla
Juan
J
Novio-Mallón
Silvia
S
Rivas-Mundiña
Berta
B
Pértega-Díaz
Sonia
S
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*