Técia Daltro Borges Alves

A saúde bucal de adolescentes: aspectos de higiene, de cárie dentária e doença periodontal nas cidades de Recife, Pernambuco e Feira de Santana, Bahia

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the oral health in adolescents in the cities of Recife and Feira de Santana, Northeast Brazil by assessment of personal hygiene and dental cavities and periodontal disease. METHOD: Forty adolescents between ten and eighteen years old were assessed through an exploratory study run in Recife in 2005. In Feira de Santana, 971 adolescents (twelve years old) were examined through a cross section study in 2002. It was assessed cavity status through the number of cavitied, missing and filled teeth, visible dental plaque, bleeding gums and periodontal status. The analysis was based on Chi-Square, Kruskall-Wallis and Fisher tests, with a confidence interval of 95%. RESULTS: The most of adolescents followed oral hygiene practices three times a day. The DMTF values presented a median of 1.5 in Recife and averages of 1.89 in state schools, 2.17 in municipal schools and 2.39 in private schools in Feira de Santana. The bleeding gum in Recife presented a median of 27%, and in Feira de Santana the healthy sextant averages of 4.36, 4.08 and 5.16 in state, municipal and private schools respectively. CONCLUSION: The frequency of the dental cavities was low, with most of the adolescents reporting good habits of oral hygiene and favorable periodontal conditions.

Temporomandibular disorders in elderly individuals: the influence of institutionalization and sociodemographic factors

Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in the non-institutionalized and institutionalized elderly population of Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out in 307 subjects over 60 years old of both genders, where 80 are institutionalized and 227 are non-institutionalized. The evaluation of TMD signs and symptoms was performed using the Fonseca Anamnestic Index (IAF) as to sociodemographic, systemic and otological factors. The results were analyzed by correlating the study factors and the prevalence of TMD. A 95% confidence interval (CI) and a 5% significance level were established for all the tests used. Results The results showed that 50.5% of the subjects presented some degree of TMD. The prevalence of TMD was 49.8% among non-institutionalized elderly individuals and of 52.5% among institutionalized individuals. Variation in the prevalence of TMD, with statistical significance according to gender, age, income, tinnitus, dizziness, and depression was observed. Conclusion The prevalence of TMD was significant among the elderly population. There was no statistically significant difference between the prevalence of TMD in institutionalized and non-institutionalized individuals. Identifying TMD in the elderly population may be difficult because the symptoms of these disorders are similar to symptoms commonly presented in some systemic disorders associated with aging.

Oral Lesions in Elderly Patients in Referral Centers for Oral Lesions of Bahia

Introduction The aging population phenomenon is occurring on a global scale; aging affects all of the structures of organisms, including the oral cavity. Objective To estimate the frequency of oral lesions, according to the clinical and histopathologic diagnoses, and to describe the sociodemographic profile of the elderly treated at the referral centers of oral lesions of public universities in Bahia, Brazil. Methods A descriptive epidemiologic study with transverse characteristics was conducted with elderly patients between August 2010 and January 2012. A form was used to collect data. The descriptive analysis consisted of calculating the simple and relative frequencies of sociodemographic variables and oral lesions. Results The population was predominantly black women, and the minority of elderly people were retired. Fibroid (13%) and squamous cell carcinoma (145%) were more prevalent clinical diagnoses, with squamous cell carcinoma (30.7%) and fibrous hyperplasia more prevalent histopathologic diagnoses. Conclusion A prevention policy needs to be implemented to reduce new cases of oral lesions in Bahia, Brazil and to aid in early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of oral lesions.