Oral health literacy and its association with oral health-related quality of life amongst pregnant women: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the association of oral health literacy (OHL) and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of pregnant women. METHODS: This cross-sectional study evaluated a representative sample of pregnant women assisted in public health services in southern Brazil. Demographic, socioeconomic, psychosocial and behavioural data were collected through structured questionnaires. The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire was used to evaluate the OHRQoL. The Brazilian Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry (BREALD-30) was used to measure OHL. Dental caries and gingival bleeding were evaluated by clinical examinations. Adjusted multilevel Poisson regression models with a hierarchical approach were used to assess the associations. The results are presented as rate ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). RESULTS: A total of 520 pregnant women were evaluated. Pregnant women with lower levels of OHL presented overall OHIP-14 scores 14% higher (RR 1.14; 95% CI 1.07-1.22) than their counterparts. High household income and high education level were related to low overall OHIP-14 scores. Furthermore, less dental attendance, low social support, untreated dental caries and gingival bleeding were also associated with high overall OHIP-14 scores. CONCLUSION: Our findings reinforce that health literacy levels influence patient-reported outcomes. Pregnant women with lower OHL were more likely to present poorer OHRQoL.

Short and long effects of the COVID-19 context on oral health-related quality of life of adolescents.

AIM: To assess the immediate and late effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of adolescents. DESIGN: This is a longitudinal study performed with adolescents (11-15 years old) from Southern Brazil who were evaluated before the COVID-19 outbreak, and 3 (T2) and 15 (T3) months after the beginning of the pandemic. OHRQoL was assessed using the CPQ11-14. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were also collected. Changes in OHRQoL before, 3 and 15 months after the start of the pandemic were analyzed through multilevel Poisson regression models for repeated measures. RESULTS: A total of 290 adolescents were evaluated at T1, 207 were re-evaluated at T2, and 204 at T3. Overall CPQ11-14 scores over follow-ups were 11.0 (SD 8.0) at T1, 8.3 (SD 7.8) and 12.8 (SD 8.8) at T3. Compared to T1, adolescents presented 29% lower overall CPQ11-14 scores (IRR 0.71 95% CI 0.66-0.75) at T2, and 11% higher scores at T3 (IRR 1.11 95% CI 1.05-1 0.17), especially for the emotional and social well-being domains. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 pandemic impacted the adolescents' OHRQoL differently over time, indicating a reduction in impacts immediately after the beginning and worsening over long term exposure to this scenario.

Do progression rates of initial and moderate caries lesions and sound surfaces of primary teeth increase significantly after 7 years?

BACKGROUND: Initial caries lesions in primary teeth have presented a low progression rate after 2 years, but it could be higher in longer follow-ups. AIM: To evaluate the progression rates of sound surfaces and initial and moderate caries lesions after 7 years. DESIGN: This prospective 7-year cohort study included 639 preschool children aged 1-5 years in 2010. In 2017, 449 children were reassessed (70.3% retention rate). Dental caries was collected using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) in both assessments. Incidence rate (IR) per 100 surface-years estimated the progression rates of sound surfaces and initial and moderate lesions for worse conditions. Cox regression with shared frailty evaluated the possible risk factors. RESULTS: IR was 1.0% for sound surfaces, 2.8% and 4.2% for ICDAS scores 1 and 2, respectively, and about 17.0% for moderate lesions. The most significant risk factor for the progression was the presence of cavitated lesions in other teeth. The type of surface and tooth also influenced the outcome. CONCLUSION: The progression rate of initial caries lesions in primary teeth remains low even after 7 years, but cavitated caries lesions in other teeth increase this risk. Moderate lesions demonstrate a higher risk of progression when compared to sound surfaces and initial caries lesions.

Does the liner material influence pulpal vitality in deep carious cavities submitted to selective caries removal? A network meta-analysis review.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether the restorative material in direct contact with the dentin influences pulp vitality in primary and permanent teeth with deep carious lesions restored after selective caries removal (SCR). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Systematic searches of databases MEDLINE via PubMed, Scopus and ISI Web of Science were performed for primary and permanent teeth. Inclusion criteria were applied for title and abstract reading of databases search results. After full texts review of included studies, those that did not meet exclusion criteria were excluded from meta-analysis. RESULTS: For meta-analysis, 2 studies were included for permanent teeth and 6 for primary teeth. The failure events reported were meta-analyzed using two statistical methods: standard pairwise meta-analysis (SPMA) and network meta-analysis (NMA). The SPMA identified similar failure occurrence of restorations performed with calcium hydroxide (CH) and other liner materials (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.41, 1.74; p = 0.64), no significant difference between the use of alternative liners or CH regardless deciduous or permanent teeth (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.36, 1.71; p = 0.55) and similar risk of failing at different follow-ups for all liner materials tested (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.35, 1.70; p = 0.52). Probabilistic analysis indicated GIC as liner material with the highest probability of clinical success (SUCRA = 72.76%), and CH ranked as the worst liner material (SUCRA = 21.81%). CONCLUSION: Pulpal vitality was not affected by material used as liner after selective caries removal in deep carious cavities. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Current clinical evidence supports the weak recommendation to not use calcium hydroxide as liner after SCR.

Pathways to dental fear from childhood to adolescence: A 10-year cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Dental fear affects children's oral health; there is, however, no evidence regarding the pathways linking possible predictors for its occurrence. AIM: This study aimed at exploring the direct and indirect effects of sociodemographic, clinical, behavioural and psychosocial factors on the development of dental fear in schoolchildren over time. DESIGN: This is a prospective cohort study, with 10 years of follow-up. The first assessment started in 2010 (T1) with a sample of 639 children aged 1-5 years from Southern Brazil. For this study, the follow-up (T2) of these individuals was performed in 2020. Dental fear was assessed at T2 using the Brazilian version of the Children's Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS). Socio-economic, demographic, psychosocial and oral health measures were collected in both assessments. A structural equation model was performed to assess the direct and indirect pathways among variables at T1 and T2 to predict the CFSS-DS scores at T2. RESULTS: Of the 639 children, 429 were re-evaluated at T2. Higher levels of untreated dental caries, younger individuals, dental visits for nonroutine reasons and low sense of coherence at T2 directly impacted dental fear at T2. Considering the indirect effects, the presence of dental caries and low household income at T1 indirectly impacted higher levels of dental fear over 10 years via dental caries at follow-up. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that socio-economic, demographic, clinical, psychosocial and behavioural conditions can influence dental fear from childhood to adolescence.

Sense of coherence moderates the relationship between social capital and oral health­related quality of life in schoolchildren: a 10-year cohort study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the moderating effect of sense of coherence (SOC) on the relationship between social capital and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among schoolchildren. METHODS: A cohort study was conducted in the city of Santa Maria, Brazil, involving children aged 1-5 years at baseline who were reassessed after 10 years in adolescence (11-15 years-old). Social capital was assessed at baseline and follow-up through social networks and social trust. Sense of coherence scale (SOC-13) and the short form of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 11-14 (CPQ11-14) were measured at 10-years follow-up. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and dental caries were also evaluated. Moderating effect of SOC on the relationship between social capital and OHRQoL was tested using multilevel adjusted Poisson regression analysis and simple slope test. RESULTS: From the 639 subjects assessed at baseline, 429 were reassessed at follow-up (cohort retention rate 67.1%). Moderate and high levels of SOC demonstrated a moderating effect on the relationship between social capital and OHRQoL. Among individuals who presented low social capital at baseline and follow-up, those who had high SOC reported, respectively, an impact 63% and 70% lower on OHRQoL when compared to those with low SOC. The greatest margin effect was observed in individuals with low social capital and low SOC at follow-up (24.25; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that SOC moderates the negative impact of low social capital on poor OHRQoL in schoolchildren.

Oral health-related quality of life determinants throughout adolescence: a cohort study in Brazil.

PURPOSE: Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is a complex construct that reflects the interaction among well-being, socioeconomic, oral health status, and also contextual factors. This study aimed to verify the association between poorer socioeconomic background and oral health condition on OHRQoL throughout adolescence. METHODS: A cohort study followed a random sample of 1134 participants aged 12 years in 2012 (T1), 770 adolescents with an average age of 14 years in 2014 (T2; retention rate, 67.9%), and 768 adolescents with an average age of 17.5 years in 2018 (T3; retention rate, 67.8%). OHRQoL was collected three times using the Brazilian short version of the Childhood Perception Questionnaire 11-14 (CPQ 11-14). At baseline, the adolescents were clinically assessed by dentists, and their demographic data, socioeconomic status, use of dental services, and toothache were evaluated. The mean income of the neighborhood was used as a proxy of contextual factors. This variable was obtained from an official municipal publication. Poisson multilevel regression analyses were performed using a hierarchical approach to assess the predictors of OHRQoL over time. RESULTS: Adolescents living in a neighborhood with low mean income, low household income, low education levels, girls, and nonwhite individuals reported poor OHRQoL. Clinical variables such as gingival bleeding and malocclusion were also associated with higher overall scores on CPQ11-14, indicating poor OHRQoL. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that the unfavorable contextual and individual socioeconomic environment, and oral disease negatively influenced OHRQoL during adolescence.

The Impact of Early Childhood Factors on Dental Caries Incidence in First Permanent Molars: A 7-Year Follow-Up Study.

The development of dental caries in first permanent molars has been extensively investigated. However, studies are inconclusive in determining the influence of contextual and individual factors on dental caries incidence in this group of teeth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of contextual and individual factors on dental caries incidence in first permanent molars. This 7-year cohort study was conducted with children (1-5 years of age) who had been assessed initially in a survey performed in 2010. Dental caries was assessed at the baseline through the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS). Contextual and individual variables were collected at baseline and included the presence of cultural community centers in the neighborhood as well as demographic, socioeconomic, psychosocial, and biological characteristics. A multilevel Poisson regression model was used to investigate the influence of individual and contextual characteristics on dental caries incidence in first permanent molars (relative risk [RR] and 95% confidence interval [CI]). Of the 639 children examined at baseline, a total of 449 were reassessed after 7 years (70.3% retention rate). Children who lived in neighborhoods with cultural community centers had a lower risk of dental caries in first permanent molars at the follow-up (RR 0.78; 95% CI 0.62-0.99). Children from families with a low income (RR 1.34; 95% CI 1.03-1.76) and poor parental perception of children's oral health (RR 1.56; 95% CI 1.18-2.06) were associated with a higher risk of dental caries in first molars. In conclusion, individual and contextual determinants showed an important role in the incidence of caries in first permanent molars.

Effect of routine dental attendance on child oral health-related quality of life: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND: There is an improvement in oral health status among people who receive preventive dental care during their lifetime, highlighting the possible effect in resolving oral health problems and consequently oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). AIM: Assessed the effect of routine dental attendance on child OHRQoL. DESIGN: This cohort study used baseline data from 639 preschoolers from 2010. After 7 years, 449 children were re-examined (70.3%). Mothers of the children completed a questionnaire collecting data on the pattern of use of dental services. Children were classified as adhering to long-term routine dental attendance according to their pattern of use (routine vs curative) in the baseline and in follow-up. The child OHRQoL was assessed through the Child Perception Questionnaire (CPQ8-10). The association between routine dental attendance and child OHRQoL was assessed using multilevel Poisson regression models. RESULTS: The proportion of participants who reported the worst CPQ8-10 scores were higher among those who, at some point in their life, experienced a curative dental attendance. Also, the mean CPQ8-10 was two times higher for non-routine dental attendance. CONCLUSION: The findings showed that there is an impact of long-term routine attendance on child OHRQoL. This is important for tackling oral health iniquities.

Effect of neighborhood and individual social capital in early childhood on oral health-related quality of life: a 7-year cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Social capital incorporates both contextual and individual levels of interactions and influences health. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of neighborhood and individual social capital on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children. METHODS: This 7-year cohort study was conducted with 639 children (1-5 years) who had been evaluated initially with a survey administered in 2010. OHRQoL was assessed using the Brazilian version of the Child Perception Questionnaire (CPQ8-10) in the follow-up. Contextual variables related to social capital were collected during the baseline and included the presence of social class associations, workers' associations, and cultural community centers. Individual variables included individual social networks, socioeconomic variables, and oral health measures (dental caries and overjet). A multilevel Poisson regression model was used to investigate the influence of individual and contextual characteristics on OHRQoL. With this approach, we calculated incidence rate ratio (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS: From the 639 preschoolers examined at baseline, a total of 449 children were re-evaluated after 7 years (70.3% response rate). Children who lived in areas with social class associations at baseline reported better OHRQoL in the follow-up (IRR 0.79; 95% CI 0.67-0.93). Regarding individual variables, low socioeconomic status, poor clinical conditions, and weak social networks were also associated with higher overall CPQ8-10 scores. CONCLUSIONS: High levels of individual and neighborhood social capital in early childhood positively influenced children's OHRQoL. This finding is important in planning public health policies to improve children's health and well-being.

Trends in use of dental services by Brazilian pre-school children considering Age-Period-Cohort Effect.

BACKGROUND: Besides the growth in Brazilian public oral health investments, no pre-school children preventive policies were done, and surveys demonstrated lower prevalences of use of dental service. AIM: To verify trends in the use, type, and reason for seeking dental services among pre-school children considering time variations. METHODS: This study used data of clinical examinations and structured interviews of three cross-sectional surveys of southern pre-school children in Brazil, from 2008, 2010, and 2013. Chi-square test for trends and hierarchical age-period-cohort (HAPC) analysis using the multilevel Poisson regression model assessing the influence of social and clinical variables in the use, type, and reason for seeking dental services were performed. RESULTS: A total of 1765 pre-school children participated in all surveys. At least, one time-related variation affected one of three assessed outcomes. There was no significant change in prevalence of the use of dental services (75.8%, 77.4%, and 74.9%, respectively, for each year; P = 0.750). In the HAPC analysis, younger children and from low socio-economic backgrounds were less likely to have visited the dentist. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of use of oral health services did not change and socio-economic inequalities persisted through the years, indicating a need of reviewing the policies to promote public health.

Presence of Initial Caries Lesions as a Risk Factor for Caries in Preschool Children: A Cohort Study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of initial noncavitated caries lesions on cavitated caries increment in preschool children. A 2-year cohort study was designed to include the participants of a survey on dental caries performed in 2010. Preschool children (12-59 months old) were examined for dental caries and classified as children with no caries lesions, with only initial lesions, with at least 1 moderate caries lesion, and with extensive lesions. Socioeconomic data were also collected. After 2 years, 466 children were re-examined (follow-up rate of 72.9%) only for cavitated lesions. Association between caries incidence at 2 levels of severity and caries experience and other variables was evaluated using hierarchical Poisson regression analysis. The children with moderate and extensive caries lesions at baseline presented a higher risk of presenting both outcomes than the children with no caries lesions. Nevertheless, the children with only initial lesions had a higher risk of developing at least 1 new cavitated carious lesion, but not for a more severe increment in caries. Subgroup analysis stratified by the children's age showed that the influence of the presence of initial caries lesions on cavitated caries increment was only observed in children aged 12-35 months. In conclusion, although the presence of moderate and extensive lesions at baseline is a significant predictor for cavitated caries increment after 2 years in preschool children at all ages, the presence of only initial caries lesions is also associated, but with less severe caries incidence.

The effect of dental treatment on oral health-related quality of life in adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study is to assess the effect of dental treatment on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of adolescents from a city in South Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This longitudinal study included 129 adolescents aged 10 to 15 years who received dental caries treatment in a university clinic in Santa Maria, Brazil. The OHRQoL was measured using the Brazilian version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire for children aged 11 to 14 years (CPQ11-14). The questionnaire was administered through face-to-face interviews before treatment and 1 month after its completion. Paired t tests and effect sizes were used to evaluate changes in CPQ11-14 scores after completion of treatment. RESULTS: In total, 43.4% of the study participants received solely restorations, 15.5% received endodontic treatment, and 44.2% underwent tooth extractions. The mean CPQ11-14 score before treatment was 15.9 ± 10.3, which decreased to 6.3 ± 6.5 after treatment (P < 0.001). The same pattern was observed in the four domains of CPQ11-14 (oral symptoms, functional limitation, emotional well-being, and social well-being). The effect sizes varied from 0.4 to 1.1, with oral symptoms and emotional well-being domains showing the greatest changes. CONCLUSIONS: Dental treatment resulted in a significant improvement in the OHRQoL of the evaluated adolescents. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Providing dental treatment has beneficial effects on the quality of life of adolescents, especially for oral symptoms and emotional well-being.

Sensitivity of an oral health-related quality-of-life questionnaire in detecting oral health impairment in preschool children.

AIM: This two-year cohort study evaluated whether the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) is responsive to detect changes related to dental caries. DESIGN: Preschool children were examined in 2010 regarding dental caries, and their parents responded to the ECOHIS. After 2 years, 352 children (response rate = 73.6%) were re-examined and a new ECOHIS was responded. Children were categorized according to caries increment (no new caries, 1-3 surfaces with new lesions, and four or more decayed surfaces). The outcome variables were related to the decline of quality of life as determined via ECOHIS: decline, severe decline, and differences between baseline and follow-up scores. Effect sizes (ES) were calculated, and the associations were evaluated through Poisson regression. RESULTS: ES was small for children with 1-3 new lesions (ES = 0.19) and moderate for children with four or more new carious lesions (ES = 0.61). Children who developed 1-3 new lesions were significantly associated with all outcome variables compared to children with no new lesions, but the associations were stronger for children with four or more new carious lesions. CONCLUSIONS: The ECOHIS is sensitive to the deterioration of quality of life due to caries increments in preschool children.

Risk of initial and moderate caries lesions in primary teeth to progress to dentine cavitation: a 2-year cohort study.

AIM: To investigate the risk of sound surfaces, and initial and moderate caries lesions to progress to dentine cavitation in preschool children. DESIGN: A cohort study was designed with 639 children (12-59 months old) who had been examined by visual inspection during a survey in 2010. After 2 years, 469 children were re-examined regarding the presence of dentine cavitations. The probability of progression was calculated for sound and carious (initial and moderate lesions) surfaces. Relative risk of progression and 95% confidence intervals for each condition compared with sound surfaces were calculated using multilevel Poisson regression analysis. Association with explanatory variables, including caries experience of the children, was also investigated. RESULTS: The higher the initial score attributed to the dental surface, the more likely was the progression. Moreover, children with severe lesions at baseline had higher risk of having a sound surface or a non-cavitated caries lesion progressing to cavitation when compared with caries-free children; however, this increased risk was not observed in children with only initial caries lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Initial caries lesions present a low frequency of progression. Moreover, sound surfaces and initial caries lesions in children already presenting cavitations are more likely to progress to more severe conditions.

Discrimination due to sexual orientation and oral health-related quality of life among adolescents.

To evaluate the association between discrimination based on sexual orientation and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in adolescents. This was a cross-sectional study nested in a cohort performed in southern Brazil. The baseline assessment was carried out in 2010 with a sample of preschoolers (1 to 5 years). Subsequently, these individuals were reassessed, and for the present study, only the data from the final follow-up in 2020 were considered. OHRQoL was assessed by the short version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 11-14 (CPQ11-14). The discrimination due to sexual orientation was measured using item 10 of the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire. Sociodemographic (sex, age, skin color, maternal education, household income) psychosocial (sense of coherence), and clinical variables (untreated dental caries) were also evaluated. Multilevel Poisson regression analysis was performed to verify the associations. Results are present as rate ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). A total of 429 adolescents were evaluated - about 67.1% of those assessed at baseline. The prevalence of discrimination due to sexual orientation was 3.3%. Adolescents who reported suffering episodes of discrimination due to sexual orientation presented overall CPQ11-14 scores 16% higher (RR 1.16, 95%CI 1.01-1.36) than their counterparts. Adolescents who reported suffering episodes of discrimination due to sexual orientation presented poorer OHRQoL.

The Different Roles of Structural and Cognitive Social Capital on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life among Adolescents.

This study evaluated the relationship of structural and cognitive dimensions of social capital with oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among adolescents. This was a cross-sectional study nested in a cohort of adolescents from southern Brazil. OHRQoL was evaluated using the short version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 11-14 (CPQ11-14). Structural social capital was measured by attendance of religious meetings and social networks from friends and neighbours. Cognitive social capital was evaluated through trust in friends and neighbours, perception of relationships in the neighbourhood, and social support during hard times. Multilevel Poisson regression analysis was performed to estimate the association between social capital dimensions and overall CPQ11-14 scores; higher scores corresponded to worse OHRQoL. The sample comprised 429 adolescents with a mean age of 12 years. Adolescents who attended religious meetings less than once a month or never presented higher overall CPQ11-14 scores. Adolescents who did not trust their friends and neighbours, those who believe that their neighbours did not have good relationships, and those reporting no support during hard times also presented higher overall CPQ11-14 scores. OHRQoL was poorer in individuals who presented lower structural and cognitive social capital, with the greatest impact related to the cognitive dimension.

Dental caries prediction and the indication of pit and fissure sealant in children first permanent molars: A prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate predictors for caries incidence on first permanent molars and to assess the accuracy and efficiency of these predictors for the indication of pit and fissure sealants. METHODS: This 7-y cohort study started in 2010 with a sample of 639 children (1-5 years) from Southern Brazil. Dental caries was assessed using the ICDAS. Maternal education, family income, parental perception on child oral health and severe dental caries experience were collected at baseline and used to test the prediction of dental caries. Predictive values, accuracy and efficiency were estimated for each possible predictor. RESULTS: 449 children were re-assessed at follow-up (70.3% retention rate). The baseline characteristics showed similar risks for dental caries incidence in first permanent molars. Low family income and poor parental perception of child oral health were moderately accurate in correctly identifying sound children who would not need to receive pit and fissure sealant. However, all the adopted criteria have lower accuracy incorrectly identifying children who later developed dental caries in first permanent molars. CONCLUSIONS: Distal and intermediate factors were relatively accurate in determining caries risk incidence on children's first permanent molars. The criteria adopted were more accurate in identifying sound children than those who need to receive pit and fissure sealant. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our findings reinforce the idea that investing in strategies that take into account common risk factors still represents the best option for dental caries prevention. However, adopting only these parameters is not enough to indicate pit and fissure sealants.

Social capital and possible bruxism during the COVID-19 pandemic among Brazilian undergraduates.

This study investigated the prevalence of possible bruxism and its association with social capital among undergraduates during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This cross-sectional study was conducted at a private university in Southern Brazil. Data were collected through a self-administered electronic questionnaire (Google Forms). Possible bruxism was measured using the following question: "Do you grind your teeth or clench your jaws?". Social capital was evaluated using individual social networks. Data on self-perceived oral health, anxiety, sociodemographics, and information related to university graduates were also collected. Adjusted logistic regression models with a hierarchical approach were used to evaluate associations. The results are presented as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs). Altogether, 345 undergraduates participated in the study, with a mean age of 21.8 years (standard deviation = 5.21). The prevalence of bruxism in the sample was 57.1%. Undergraduates with low social capital had 2.06 times greater odds of bruxism than their counterparts (OR 2.06; 95%CI 1.11-3.83). Female undergraduates (OR 2.40, 95%CI 1.39-4.12), those who were in the final year of university (OR 1.13, 95%CI 1.04-1.21), and those who perceived they needed dental treatment (OR 1.91; CI: 1.21-3.02) also had greater odds of possible bruxism. In conclusion, the prevalence of possible bruxism was high among undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated with lower social capital levels. Knowledge of these factors is important to identify risk groups and plan strategies to control bruxism in this population.

Sense of coherence moderates the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and oral health-related quality of life in schoolchildren.

AIM: To evaluate the moderating effect of the sense of coherence (SOC) in the relationship between racial discrimination and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in schoolchildren. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study nested in a cohort performed in southern Brazil. OHRQoL was assessed using the short version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 11-14 (CPQ11-14). The perception of racial discrimination was measured using a question contained in the Bullying Questionnaire by Olweus, and SOC through the shortened version of the 13-item Sense of Coherence Scale. Sociodemographic and dental caries following the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) characteristics were also collected. A simple slop test and Poisson regression analysis were performed to test the interaction effects of the predictors on OHRQoL. RESULTS: A total of 429 schoolchildren were included in this study. About 6.7% reported had perceived racial discrimination. The simple slope test indicated that the negative effects of racial discrimination on OHRQoL were significant under different SOC levels. Among schoolchildren who suffered racial discrimination, those who had higher SOC reported lower impact on OHRQoL when compared to those with low SOC. CONCLUSION: SOC can be considered a moderating variable in the relationship between racial discrimination and OHRQoL. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: These findings highlight that psychosocial factors such as SOC could attenuate the impact of perceived discrimination on OHRQoL in adolescence.