What variables are associated with use of and need for dental prosthesis? A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Population-based studies assessing the factors associated with use of and need for dental prosthesis among older adults are scarce. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of and need for dental prosthesis and associated factors in the older adult population of a southern city of Brazil. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study, involving community-dwelling older adults (≥60 years), was performed. A probabilistic per cluster sampling was used, and 282 participants from Veranópolis, Brazil, were included. A clinical oral health examination was performed, and a structured questionnaire was applied. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to verify associations using Poisson regression with robust variance. RESULTS: The prevalence of use of dental prosthesis was 87.2% (n = 246), while the prevalence of need for dental prosthesis was 27% (n = 76). Older adults with medium/high levels of education had 17.8% (P = .019) lower prevalence ratio (PR) for use of dental prosthesis. Unmarried and retired older adults had, respectively, 11.1% (PR:1.111; 95%CI:1.022-1.207) and 19.5% (PR:1.195; 95%CI:1.009-1.415) higher PR for use of prosthesis. Those without access to dental care had 11.8% (P = .012) higher PR for use of dental prosthesis. Older adults living in rural areas had 64.7% (PR:1.647; 95%CI:1.079-2.514) higher PR of need for dental prosthesis. CONCLUSION: High and low prevalence of use of and need for dental prosthesis, respectively, were detected in this sample. Level of education, marital status, retirement status and access to dental care were associated with the use of dental prostheses. However, only residence area was associated with the need for oral rehabilitation.

Nutritional assessment and associated factors in the elderly: apopulation-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess nutritional status and associated factors in elderly individuals. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in residential homes with a probabilistic cluster sample. Two-hundred eighty-seven individuals 65-74 y of age were interviewed and examined in the city of Cruz Alta, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A structured questionnaire was used to assess the socioeconomic, behavioral, and general health conditions; the number of present teeth were counted. Nutrition was assessed with a validated instrument-the Mini Nutritional Assessment-which classifies the patient as normal (eutrophic), at nutritional risk, or malnourished. For data analysis, the participants were categorized in eutrophic or at nutritional risk (at risk of malnutrition + malnourished). The associations were assessed by either the χ2 or Mann-Whitney tests. Uni- and multivariate Poisson regression analyses verified the associations. The significance level was set at 5%. RESULTS: The prevalence of nutritional risk was 48.4%. In the multivariate model, edentulous individuals with no complete denture or with only one complete denture (prevalence ratio PR, 1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-2.13) and elderly individuals with no access to the dentist (PR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.11-1.88) presented higher potential for nutritional risk than their respective controls. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that approximately half of the participants (48.4%) were at nutritional risk. The lack of complete or partial rehabilitation of edentulous patients and the lack of access to the dentist were associated with higher nutrition risk.

Association between history of orthodontic treatment and sociodemographic factors in adolescents / Associação entre histórico de tratamento ortodôntico e fatores sociodemográficos em adolescentes

The aim of this study was to assess history of orthodontic treatment and its determinants in adolescents. This was a crosssectional study conducted in the city of Passo Fundo, Brazil, on a representative sample of adolescents aged 15 to 19 years, regularly enrolled in 20 high schools. A structured questionnaire was applied to assess demographic, behavioral and health variables. The association between history of orthodontic treatment and the dependent variables was analyzed by the chisquare test or Fisher's exact test. Additionally, multivariate regression with robust variance was performed. A total 736 students were examined and interviewed, of whom 57.6% had undergone orthodontic treatment, while 42.4% had not. In the multivariable analysis, the following variables were significantly associated with history of orthodontic treatment: female (PR= 1.26; 95% CI: 1.11 ­ 1.43), white (PR= 1.32; 95% CI: 1.11 ­ 1.56), mothers with higher level of education (PR=1.49; 95% CI: 1.28 ­ 1.74), tooth loss (PR=1.21; 95% CI: 1.06 ­ 1.39), and concern about oral health (PR=0.69; 95% CI: 0.61 ­ 0.78). Attending a private school was not significantly associated with history of orthodontic treatment (p>0.05). This study found a high rate for history of orthodontic treatment among adolescents, associated with gender, ethnicity, adolescent's mother with higher education, and tooth loss. Concern about oral health was a protective factor for orthodontic treatment (AU)

Esse estudo objetivou verificar o histórico de tratamento ortodôntico e seus fatores associados. Esse estudo transversal foi conduzido na cidade de Passo Fundo, Brasil, com uma amostra representativa dos adolescentes regularmente matricu lados no ensino médio, com idades entre 15 e 19 anos, de 20 escolas. Um questionário estrutura foi aplicado para acessar variáveis demográficas, comportamentais e de saúde. As associações entre histórico de tratamento ortodôntico e as variáveis independentes foram analisadas pelos testes de quiquadrado ou exato de Fisher. Além disso, regressão multivariada com variância robusta foi realizada. 736 estudantes foram examinados e entrevistados. Tratamento ortodôntico foi reali zado por 57,6% dos adolescentes, enquanto que 42,4% dos participantes não o mencionaram. Na análise multivariada, as seguintes variáveis estiveram significativamente associadas com histórico de tratamento ortodôntico: sexo feminino (PR= 1,26; 95%CI: 1,11 ­ 1,43), branco (PR= 1,32; 95%CI: 1,11 ­ 1,56), mães com alto nível educacional (PR=1,49; 95%CI: 1,28 ­ 1,74), perda dentária (PR=1,21; 95%CI: 1,06 ­ 1,39) e preocupação com a saúde bucal (PR=0,69; 95%CI: 0,61 ­ 0,78). Ir a uma escola privada não esteve significativamente associado com histórico de tratamento ortodôntico (p>0,05). Esse estudo demonstrou que altos níveis de histórico de tratamento ortodôntico são encontrados em adolescentes e isso está associado com sexo, etnia, alta escolaridade da mãe do adolescente e perda dentária. Preocupação com a saúde bucal mostrouse como um fator protetor para o tratamento ortodôntico (AU)

Prevalence of self-reported halitosis and associated factors in adolescents from Southern Brazil

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of selfreportedhalitosis and associated factors in adolescents fromPasso Fundo, Brazil. Additionally, we studied adolescents’concern with their own breath and whether anyone hadever told them that they had halitosis...

O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar a prevalência de halitose autorreportada e fatores associados em adolescentes de Passo Fundo, Brasil. Além disso, foram verificados a preocupação dos adolescentes com o seu próprio hálito e se eles já foram avisados por alguém sobre essa condição em qualquer momento de suas vidas...