title: Dental pain as a determinant of expressed need for dental care among 12-year-old school children in India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We have undertaken a cross-sectional study to assess factors associated with dental pain that determine the expressed needs for dental care among 12-year-old school children in India.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2,250 school children were surveyed after being drawn through stratified cluster random sampling. The simultaneous effects of sociodemographic characteristics, pain characteristics, and the impact of pain on the quality of life were studied in association with the expressed needs for dental treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the studied school children, 71.4% suffered from dental pain, only 27.7% expressed need for dental healthcare. Socioeconomic status (SES) was a statistically significant determinant. Pain characteristics like the severity of pain and pain on eating hot and cold foods were significantly associated with expressed needs. Impact characteristics associated with expressed needs were embarrassment in showing teeth, brushing teeth, and difficulty in eating and drinking. Logistic regression analysis yielded a Nagelkerke R2 value of 0.106.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Important determinants of expressed needs for dental care among the studied population were SES, pain intensity, pain on thermal stimuli, impact characteristics like eating/drinking and embarrassment in showing teeth.
authors: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Narayana Dental College and Hospital, Chinthareddypalem, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, India. kirankumardandi@yahoo.co.in
authors: Kiran Kumar
authors: KK
authors: Dandi
authors: Epari Venkat
authors: EV
authors: Rao
authors: Shanti
authors: S
authors: Margabandhu
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004326:Drinking / Q000502:physiology; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009790:Occupations; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012649:Self Concept; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D012904:Smiling; D012923:Social Class; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology; D014098:Toothache / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data