RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Asthma has been associated with a great number of negative health outcomes. This study was undertaken to detect the association between asthma and dental caries in the primary dentition. METHODS: Data were obtained from a cohort of 1160 Mexican children aged 4-5 years. We used the questionnaire of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies Diseases in Childhood. Asthma was classified according to parents' reports. Caries indexes were measured as the number of decayed (d), missing (m), and filled (f), teeth (t) (dmft) or surfaces (dmfs). Decayed teeth included initial caries in this study. Adjusted odds ratios (adjusted ORs) were determined for asthma using logistic regression model. Gender, sugary products consumption, and oral hygiene habits were utilized as covariates. RESULTS: The prevalence of dental caries was 17.9% in the 1160 children. Approximately 226 (19.5%) children were identified with asthma. Among them, 166 (73.5%) presented with symptoms during the day and 60 (26.5%) during the day and night. The prevalence of caries in children with asthma was 19.9%; it was higher in children with nocturnal asthma symptoms than in those with asthma symptoms only during the day. Logistic regression model showed that asthma (adjusted OR=1.24; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]=0.84-1.81) was not associated with caries. A significant association was found between nocturnal asthma symptoms (adjusted OR=1.85; 95% CI=1.00-3.44) and dental caries. CONCLUSIONS: Asthma is not associated with dental caries. Nocturnal asthma symptoms appear to be associated with dental caries in the primary dentition.