title: Sense of coherence modifies the association between untreated dental caries and dental pain in low-social status women.
abstract: Evidence of the link between sense of coherence (SOC), dental caries and dental pain is scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the relationship of SOC and dental caries with dental pain prevalence in low-social status women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 190 women whose children attended a selected school in São João de Meriti, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Socioeconomic, demographic and oral health behaviour data were collected through interviews. SOC was assessed using the Antonovsky scale. Dental caries was evaluated through oral examinations. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to obtain Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Dental pain in the past 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dental pain prevalence was 26% (95% CI 20, 33). DMFT and decayed teeth means were 14.3 (SD 7.2) and 2.4 (SD 2.6), respectively. The odds of having dental pain was higher for women with moderate dental caries and low SOC (OR 3.3, 95%CI 1.1, 9.3) and women with high caries and low SOC (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.7, 9.5) compared with women with low caries and high SOC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dental caries and lower SOC were factors associated with dental pain. SOC appeared to buffer the effect of dental caries on dental pain in women from low-socioeconomic status.
authors.forename: A Neiva
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Vettore
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000523:psychology*; D003742:Dental Devices, Home Care; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D011203:Poverty; D057566:Self Report; D060685:Sense of Coherence; D012923:Social Class; D014098:Toothache / Q000523:psychology*; D014099:Toothbrushing