Caries experience in nursery school children with and without dental assistance

Authors

  • Maria do Carmo Matias Freire Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Goiás
  • Fabíola Fernandes Soares Secretaria de Saúde de Anápolis-GO
  • Maria Abadia Salge Prata Higino Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Goiânia-GO
  • Maria de Fátima Nunes Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Goiânia
  • Érika Fernandes Soares Secretaria de Saúde de Goiânia-GO
  • Fabiany Cristina Santos Nunes Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Goiás

Keywords:

Dental caries, dental care, child rearing, nursery schools, child, preschool

Abstract

Purpose: To compare the caries experience of children attending public nursery schools with or without an oral health programme. Methods: Secondary data from an epidemiological survey carried out in Goiânia, GO, Brazil, in 2001 was used. The sample consisted of 3 to 6 year-old children attending local state nursery schools with the oral health programme (Group 1, n=275) and those attending nursery schools without this benefit (Group 2, n=261). The oral health programme included clinic, preventive, and educative procedures, with focus on dental treatment, which was carried out by a dental team in a mobile unit every year. Results: There was no difference in caries prevalence and dmf-s between the two groups. Regarding dmf-s components, only filled surfaces showed statistical significance with higher levels for Group 1 (P=0.040). Multiple logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for the sociodemographic variables, showed that Group 2 had lower chance to have children with filled teeth than Group 1 (OR=0.48, P=0.025). Conclusion: The access to dental care for children in Group 1 partially reduced their treatment needs through an increase of the filled component. However, it did not significantly impact caries prevalence and other dmf-s components. Key words: Dental caries; dental care; child rearing; nursery schools; child, preschool

Author Biographies

Maria do Carmo Matias Freire, Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Goiás

Professora Associada da Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Goiás, área de Odontologia Coletiva e Metodologia Científica. Doutora em Saúde Bucal Coletiva.

Fabíola Fernandes Soares, Secretaria de Saúde de Anápolis-GO

Cirurgiã-dentista da Secretaria de Saúde de Anápolis, Goiás

Maria Abadia Salge Prata Higino, Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Goiânia-GO

Cirurgiã-dentista da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Goiânia, Goiás

Maria de Fátima Nunes, Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Goiânia

Cirurgiã-dentista da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Goiânia, Goiás

Érika Fernandes Soares, Secretaria de Saúde de Goiânia-GO

Cirurgiã-dentista da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Goiânia, Goiás

Fabiany Cristina Santos Nunes, Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Goiás

Professora substituta da Faculdade de Odontologia da UFG

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Published

2008-10-14

Issue

Vol. 24 No. 1 (2009)

Section

Original Article

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