Alessandra Castro Alves

Contribuição ao estudo da cárie dentária em crianças de 0-30 meses

Este estudo avaliou as condicoes de saude bucal de 340 criancas de 0-30 meses de idade (21,3 ± 5,6), sendo 54,4% meninos, 45,6% meninas, de 20 creches de Salvador, considerando lesoes incipientes e relacionando-as a alguns fatores determinantes da carie. Os exames foram realizados por um unico examinador utilizando-se espelho, sonda e lanterna. Os dentes foram limpos, secos com gaze e as lesoes classificadas de acordo com o grau de severidade em cinco niveis (C0-C4; ativa/inativa). Um questionario avaliou o conhecimento sobre a carie, fatores de risco, instrucao, renda familiar e uso de fluor. Foram incluidos 229 questionarios (67,35%). A analise dos dados foi realizada no Epi-info 6.02. Observou-se uma prevalencia de carie de 55,3% quando todos os estagios da lesao foram considerados: 25% entre 0-12 meses; 51,18% entre 13-24 meses; 71,03% entre 25-30 meses (chi² = 25,31; p < 0,01). Avaliando-se apenas manchas brancas ativas, 49,7% das criancas mostraram-se afetadas e 17,6%, apenas com lesoes cavitadas. Das criancas afetadas, 90,96% apresentavam apenas dentes anteriores afetados: 80% das lesoes eram incipientes e 20%, cavitadas. Nao foi observada diferenca significante entre sexos. O aumento da quantidade de biofilme dental mostrou associacao positiva com a carie nesta faixa etaria (chi² = 67,61; p < 0,01) e a porcentagem de criancas afetadas mostrou-se maior na presenca de aleitamento noturno (chi² = 0,24; p = 0,62). Foi observado um aumento da prevalencia de carie com a idade (chi² = 25,31; p < 0,01) e com o numero de dentes irrompidos (chi² = 122,95; p < 0,01). Sugere-se atencao precoce a saude bucal para o diagnostico de lesoes incipientes e adocao de medidas educativas e preventivas, incentivando mudancas na higiene bucal e dieta.

Maus-tratos: estudo através da perspectiva da delegacia de proteção à criança e ao adolescente em Salvador, Bahia

This cross-sectional study describes the occurrences of maltreatment recorded over three years (1997-1999) in a Brazilian Police Department for the Protection of the Child and the Adolescent. Socio-demographic and physical data of victims, aggressors and denouncers were investigated in a sample consisting of 2073 cases. The victims were aged between 0-18 years, of which 56.1% were girls. Data were entered into EPI INFO 2000 software and analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test to determine significant differences (p<0.05). All manifestations of abuse, except physical abuse, tend to occur more frequently in females, and tend to be more prevalent in the 11-to-15 year-old subgroup. Physical abuse was the most common offense (64.7%). Injuries of face and jaw were found in 65.3% of the cases. Most of the aggressors were males (71.8%). There was a positive correlation between gender (female) and sexual abuse. Physical violence against boys was more intensive, as indicated by the presence of more severe body lesions. Health professionals should increase their diagnostic skills and raise the awareness of their communities to take action for reducing the incidence and the impact of violence upon children and adolescents.

Prevalência de características da oclusão normal na dentição decídua

The aim of this research was to study the normal occlusal patterns of deciduous dentition in Brazilian preschool children. The sample consisted of 356 preschool children, of both genders, aged 3-5 1/2 years from the urban zone of Salvador, Bahia. The occlusion exam was carried out by two examiners, in the classroom, utilizing a wooden spatula. The data were analyzed by the statistical program EPI-INFO 6.02 using the Chi-squared test. The frequency of the type I arch was 43.3% for the upper and 46.3% for the lower arch. The frequency of the type II arch was 56.7% for the upper and 53.75 for the lower arch, however, no difference between genders was noticed. The distribution of primate spaces was: 89.9% for the upper and 67.1% for the lower arch. This prevalence decreased significantly as age increased (p < 0.01). Normal canine relationship was found in almost 60% of the children for the right and left sides. Out of 712 evaluated terminal planes, 55.9% presented mesial terminal step for the primary second molars, 37.9% straight terminal plane and 6.2% distal step. The results permitted to conclude that the presence of generalized spacing between incisors, commonly described by other authors, was not the most prevailing condition for both arches in this sample. On the other hand, primate spaces were the most common ones. The most frequent normal occlusal patterns for canine and molar relationships were found to be the Class I patterns.