Fábio Silva de Carvalho

Polarização da cárie dentária em adolescentes, na região sudoeste do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

In most Brazilian cities, oral health is still a challenge for the Brazilian Health System (SUS). The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of dental caries (DMFT index), the differences with regard to gender and geographic localization, Significant Caries Index and the percentages of caries-free adolescents in Itai-SP - Brazil, in 2006. The methodology used was in agreement with the criteria established by the WHO. The sample was composed of 178 teen-agers, corresponding to 46% of the 12-years-old registered in the schools of the city. One single examiner performed the examination. The Kappa test method was used with an agreement rater of 0.95. The DMTF index was of 2.45, SiC of 5.08 and 30% of the adolescents were caries-free. It was observed that 70% of caries cases were concentrated in 34% of the adolescents. The data obtained showed a polarization of dental caries in 12-years-old adolescents, but this polarization was not uniform. The problems are concentrated in a small portion of the population.

Dental caries-related quality of life and socioeconomic status of preschool children, Bauru, SP

Aim: To evaluate oral health-related quality of life of preschool children of Bauru, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and associate it with socioeconomic profile of households. Methods: The sample consisted of 229 preschool children between 3 and 5 years and the dmft (decayed, missing due to caries, filled teeth) index was adopted for assessment children’s dental caries in accordance with the standards recommended by the World Health Organization. Questionnaires were used for evaluation oral health-related quality of life (Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale) and socioeconomic profile of parents or guardians of the preschool children. Statistical analysis was performed descriptively by relative and absolute frequencies and by Spearman’s correlation and Kruskal-Wallis test (p <0.05). Results: A dmft of 1.65 (± 2.87) and a Sic Index 4.88 (± 3.20) were found, indicating the polarization of dental caries in the studied group. It was verified low influence of oral health on quality of life of the children examined. With respect to socioeconomic classification, 66.38% of families were in the lower middle class. Linear and statistically significant correlation was found between dmft and oral health-related quality of life for the overall score and domains of the questionnaire (p<0.001). Conclusions: It was found low influence of oral health on quality of life of the preschool children and the assessment of socioeconomic conditions of the children’s families may guide practices aiming to reducing inequalities in the distribution of dental caries in the population.

Epidemiology of malocclusion in children and adolescents: a critic review

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this literature review about malocclusion was to identify epidemiologic instruments which are being used in Public Health, as well as to bring information regarding the occlusal alterations more prevalent in children and adolescents.METHODS: Information presented in previous studies was reviewed, in articles published in period 1997-2007, considering the production registered in the following databases: Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences, Scientific Electronic Library Online, International Database for Medical Literature and Brazilian Dentistry Bibliography.RESULTS: The total of 191 identified references, 170 had been eliminated after the implementation of the exclusion criteria and 21 articles met the proposed inclusion criteria and had served of base for this work. The use of different criteria made difficult the comparison of studies in literature and did not offer parameters that can guide the scientific evidences.CONCLUSION: The most used epidemiologic indices were Dental Aesthetic Index and Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need and it was observed predominance of open bite in the deciduous dentition and crowding in the mixed and permanent dentitions.

Recomendação e uso de produtos fluoretados por cirurgiões-dentistas de um município da Bahia, Brasil

Objetivos: Investigar os criterios para a recomendacao e utilizacao de produtos fluoretados por cirurgioes-dentistas de um municipio baiano. Material e metodo: Estudo descritivo, transversal, cuja populacao constituiu-se dos 128 cirurgioes-dentistas com inscricao ativa no municipio. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio de um questionario semiestruturado, respondido pelo proprio participante. Os dados foram tabulados em planilha do Office Excel 2016® e foi realizada estatistica descritiva. Resultados: Cerca de 98,0% dos cirurgioes-dentistas estudaram os efeitos do fluor durante a graduacao e 67,8% afirmaram que seu efeito remineralizador ocorre em qualquer idade. Apesar do gel fluoretado ser o metodo de uso topico mais indicado pela maior parte dos profissionais (58,6%), quase 67,0% desconhecem a concentracao de fluor nesse produto. Aproximadamente 53,0% nao conhecem a concentracao otima de fluor nas aguas de abastecimento publico. Apenas 20,7% disseram que o dentifricio fluoretado deve ser usado por pessoas de qualquer idade, a maioria (95,4%) confirmou existir riscos na utilizacao de fluor e 92,0% consideraram que criancas ate os doze anos constituem grupo de risco para a fluorose dentaria. Conclusoes: A maior parte dos profissionais recomenda e utiliza os fluoretos considerando sua acao preventiva e terapeutica e o risco de carie dentaria. Observou-se desconhecimento ou duvida quanto as concentracoes ideais de fluoretos na agua, em solucoes e geis fluoretados. A maioria dos profissionais nao recomenda ou tem duvida para recomendar dentifricio fluoretado para criancas e quanto ao uso de fluor para individuos com fluorose. Descritores: Fluor; Fluorose Dentaria; Odontologos.

Desempenho dos Centros de Especialidades Odontológicas de uma Região de Saúde da Bahia

This study aimed to evaluate the performance goals compliance of Dental Care Specialities Centers (CEOs) from Jequie’s Health Region cities. The goals overall achievement was described and reflected on the services and cities characterization variables. Secondary data from the Outpatient Information System of the Unified Health System (SIA-SUS), National Registry of Health (CNES), Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and State Department of Health of Bahia (SESAB) were used. The performance of Jequie’s Health Region CEOs was considered not satisfactory for all establishments included, which did not meet any goal set by the Ministry of Health. Sociodemographic data and oral health teams’ coverage do not seem to influence the performance, although the time habilitation and the facilities structural and human resources conditions appear to be related to a better production. The low performance can be linked to service management issues.

Towards Oral Health Promotion

What is the concept of health? What is oral health? What is the concept of health and oral health promotion? Is there a prescription to follow for any individual or a population? Can this universal prescription be refined to serve both developed and developing countries as well as populations with social deprivation characteristics? Many other questions could be raised before the discussion of oral health promotion or health promotion, yet the fact is that oral health is an important part of general health (1). Previous studies have thoroughly documented the association between oral health and other health conditions as well as also oral health’s relation to quality of life (2, 3). However, health promotion cannot be targeted to only health sector efforts; intersectorial actions are necessary to make oral health more affordable. Therefore, it is not possible to improve oral health without assembling the evolution of the concept of health promotion.