Caries is the main cause for dental pain in childhood: findings from a birth cohort.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of dental pain in preschool children and its association with socioeconomic, demographic, clinical, and behavior variables.


METHODS
The study was nested in a population-based birth cohort from Pelotas, Brazil, started in 2004. A sample of 1,129 children aged 5 years was dentally examined, and their mothers were interviewed. Exploratory variables included demographics, socioeconomic status, mothers' oral health status and associated behaviors, and caries in primary teeth. Data were analyzed using multivariable Poisson regression.


RESULTS
The prevalence of dental pain was 16.5% (95% CI: 14.4-18.8). Multivariate analysis showed that dark-skinned children (prevalence ratio, PR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1-2.4) from low socioeconomic level (PR 1.9, 1.2-3.0) whose mothers had less than 4 years of education (PR 1.9, 1.0-3.6), from mothers with less than 10 teeth in at least one arch (PR 1.7, 1.2-2.5) and less than 10 in two arches (PR 1.6, 1.0-2.6), and those with high caries prevalence at the age of 5 years (PR 4.8, 3.3-7.1) were more likely to experience dental pain.


CONCLUSIONS
Unrestored caries is the main factor associated with dental pain in childhood. Socioeconomic aspects and family context in which dental pain occurs should also be taken into account when dental pain preventive measures are implemented.
Postgraduate Programs in Dentistry, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
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Boeira
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Correa
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Peres
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Peres
I S
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Santos
A
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Matijasevich
A J D
AJ
Barros
F F
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Demarco
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D012923:Social Class; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology; D014098:Toothache / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult