Decrease in Socioeconomic Disparities in Self-Rated Oral Health among Brazilian Adults between 2013 and 2019: Results from the National Health Survey.

This cross-sectional study assessed the magnitude of inequalities in self-rated oral health (SROH) among different socioeconomic groups in Brazil. Secondary data from interviews with a sample of adults (≥18 years) from the national health survey 2013 (n = 64,308) and 2019 (n = 88,531) were analyzed. Positive SROH was considered when participants selected the good or very good options. Socioeconomic indicators were monthly household income and years of education. The magnitude of inequalities among socioeconomic groups was estimated using the Slope (SII) and Relative Index of Inequality (RII). Interaction term assessed changes in SII/RII over time. Estimates were adjusted for sex and age. The prevalence of SROH was 67.50% in 2013 and 69.68% in 2019. Individuals with lower socioeconomic indicators had a lower prevalence of positive SROH. Significant reductions in the magnitude of the education-based RII between 2013 (1.58) and 2019 (1.48) in Brazil, as well as in north (1.70; 1.45) and northeast (1.50; 1.41) regions and reduction in the income-based RII in the north (1.71; 1.51) were observed. Socioeconomic inequalities in SROH persist across different Brazilian regions, although there was a reduction in disparities among education groups in 2019 compared with 2013. The findings of this study suggest that equitable Brazilian oral health policies may have contributed to reducing SROH inequality over time.

Experience of Discrimination and Oral Health Self-Perception: A Cross-Sectional Study among Brazilian Adults.

This cross-sectional study investigated the association between experiences of discrimination and oral health self-perception among a probabilistic cluster sample of Brazilian adults who participated in the 2013 National Health Survey. Oral health self-perception was categorized into three groups (very good + good; fair; poor + very poor). Reported experiences of discrimination included attributions based on the respondent's race/skin color, social class, income, occupation, illness, sexual orientation, religion, sex, and age. Covariates included sociodemographic data, oral health conditions, access to healthcare services, health habits, mental health, and participation in social and/or religious activities. Data were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression for non-proportional odds, considering sample weights and complex samples. Among 60,202 adults, 5.84% perceived their oral health as poor + very poor, with a significantly higher proportion among those experiencing discrimination (9.98%). Adults who experienced discrimination were 1.39 times more likely to report a "poor/very poor/fair" oral health self-perception compared to those who did not experience discrimination. Those who suffered discrimination were 1.28 times more likely to have a "very poor/poor" oral health self-perception than their counterparts who were not affected by discrimination. These findings underscore the importance of considering discrimination experiences as part of the social determinants influencing oral health.

Disparities in the protagonism of oral health teams in the work process of Primary Healthcare.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate and compare the protagonism of Oral Health teams (OHt) in the teamwork process in Primary Healthcare (PHC) over five years and estimate the magnitude of disparities between Brazilian macro-regions. METHODS: Ecological study that used secondary data extracted from the Sistema de Informação em Saúde para a Atenção Básica (SISAB - Health Information System for Primary Healthcare) from 2018 to 2022. Indicators were selected from a previously validated evaluative matrix, calculated from records in the Collective Activity Form on the degree of OHt's protagonism in team meetings and its degree of organization concerning the meeting agendas. A descriptive and amplitude analysis of the indicators' variation over time was carried out, and the disparity index was also calculated to estimate and compare the magnitude of differences between macro-regions in 2022. RESULTS: In Brazil, between 3.06% and 4.04% of team meetings were led by OHt professionals. The Northeast and South regions had the highest (3.71% to 4.88%) and lowest proportions (1.21% to 2.48%), respectively. From 2018 to 2022, there was a reduction in the indicator of the "degree of protagonism of the OHt" in Brazil and macro-regions. The most frequent topics in meetings under OHt's responsibility were the work process (54.71% to 70.64%) and diagnosis and monitoring of the territory (33.49% to 54.48%). The most significant disparities between regions were observed for the indicator "degree of organization of the OHt concerning case discussion and singular therapeutic projects". CONCLUSIONS: The protagonism of the OHt in the teamwork process in PHC is incipient and presents regional disparities, which challenges managers and OHt to break isolation and lack of integration, aiming to offer comprehensive and quality healthcare to the user of the Unified Health System (SUS).

Association between shortened dental configurations and health outcomes: a scoping review.

This study mapped definitions of shortened dental configurations and health outcomes employed in association studies. A scoping review was conducted using the PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO and Cochrane databases. Two trained researchers selected studies and extracted data. Studies that investigated the association between shortened dental configurations (exposure) and person-centered outcomes (general and oral health) related to health behavior (dietary patterns). Clinical outcomes were classified according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization (WHO). Shortened dental configurations were defined as at least 20/21 teeth or the position of the teeth, including esthetics, dental occlusion and periodontal status (Eichner Index, Shortened Dental Arches, Functional Dentition Classification System, Posterior Occluding Pairs, Functional Tooth Units). The initial search resulted in 12,525 records in English, Portuguese and Spanish, 432 of which addressed the association of interest. General health (n = 203) and oral health (n = 201) were addressed in a similar number of studies. Most outcomes were related to general health (n = 184), the most frequent of which were endocrine, nutritional or metabolic diseases (n = 57) and mental functions (n = 26). Person-centered measures were addressed in 153 studies, most of which were about oral health and oral health-related quality of life (n = 62). Oral health outcomes were predominantly related to intake functions (n = 44) and diseases or disorders of the orofacial complex (n = 24). Dietary patterns (n = 43) and mortality (n = 38) were also studied. The cross-sectional design (n = 257) and non-probabilistic sampling (n = 218) were more frequent. The shortened dental configurations defined by the WHO were the most frequent in the studies (n = 206). The effects of shortened dental configurations have been investigated mainly in relation to endocrine, nutritional or metabolic diseases and measures of oral health-related quality of life. The findings point to a diversity of health outcomes assessed and substantial methodological variability.

Disparities in the protagonism of oral health teams in the work process of Primary Healthcare / Disparidades do protagonismo das equipes de saúde bucal no processo de trabalho na APS

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE Evaluate and compare the protagonism of Oral Health teams (OHt) in the teamwork process in Primary Healthcare (PHC) over five years and estimate the magnitude of disparities between Brazilian macro-regions. METHODS Ecological study that used secondary data extracted from the Sistema de Informação em Saúde para a Atenção Básica (SISAB - Health Information System for Primary Healthcare) from 2018 to 2022. Indicators were selected from a previously validated evaluative matrix, calculated from records in the Collective Activity Form on the degree of OHt's protagonism in team meetings and its degree of organization concerning the meeting agendas. A descriptive and amplitude analysis of the indicators' variation over time was carried out, and the disparity index was also calculated to estimate and compare the magnitude of differences between macro-regions in 2022. RESULTS In Brazil, between 3.06% and 4.04% of team meetings were led by OHt professionals. The Northeast and South regions had the highest (3.71% to 4.88%) and lowest proportions (1.21% to 2.48%), respectively. From 2018 to 2022, there was a reduction in the indicator of the "degree of protagonism of the OHt" in Brazil and macro-regions. The most frequent topics in meetings under OHt's responsibility were the work process (54.71% to 70.64%) and diagnosis and monitoring of the territory (33.49% to 54.48%). The most significant disparities between regions were observed for the indicator "degree of organization of the OHt concerning case discussion and singular therapeutic projects". CONCLUSIONS The protagonism of the OHt in the teamwork process in PHC is incipient and presents regional disparities, which challenges managers and OHt to break isolation and lack of integration, aiming to offer comprehensive and quality healthcare to the user of the Unified Health System (SUS).

RESUMO OBJETIVO Avaliar e comparar o protagonismo das equipes de Saúde Bucal (eSB) no processo de trabalho em equipe na Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) ao longo de cinco anos, e estimar a magnitude das disparidades entre as macrorregiões brasileiras. MÉTODOS Estudo ecológico que utilizou dados secundários extraídos do Sistema de Informação em Saúde para a Atenção Básica (SISAB), de 2018 a 2022. Foram selecionados indicadores de matriz avaliativa previamente validada, calculados a partir dos registros na Ficha de Atividade Coletiva do grau de protagonismo das eSB nas reuniões de equipe, bem como do seu grau de organização em relação às pautas dos encontros. Foi realizada análise descritiva e da amplitude da variação dos indicadores ao longo do tempo, e também foi calculado o índice de disparidade para estimar e comparar a magnitude das diferenças entre as macrorregiões no ano de 2022. RESULTADOS No Brasil, entre 3,06% e 4,04% das reuniões de equipe foram lideradas por profissionais da eSB. No período, o Nordeste e o Sul foram as regiões que apresentaram maiores (3,71% a 4,88%) e menores proporções (1,21% a 2,48%), respectivamente. No período de 2018 a 2022, houve uma redução do indicador "grau de protagonismo das eSB" no Brasil e nas macrorregiões. Os temas mais frequentes em reuniões sob responsabilidade das eSB foram processo de trabalho (54,71% a 70,64%) e diagnóstico e monitoramento do território (33,49% a 54,48%). As maiores disparidades entre as regiões foram observadas para o indicador "grau de organização das eSB, em relação à discussão de caso e de projeto terapêutico singular". CONCLUSÕES O protagonismo das eSB no processo de trabalho em equipe na APS é incipiente e apresenta disparidades regionais, o que desafia gestores e eSB para o rompimento do isolamento e da falta de integração, visando a oferta de atenção à saúde integral e de qualidade ao usuário do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS).

Validation of pairs of antagonist teeth for the evaluation of shortened dental arch in epidemiological studies.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of pairs of antagonist teeth (epidemiological criterion) for defining pairs of teeth in occlusal contact (clinical criterion) and to estimate the agreement between the prevalence of "shortened dental arch" (SDA) and "functional dentition" (FD) when occlusal units (OUs) or posterior occluding pairs (POPs) are defined by the epidemiological or clinical criterion. Data were collected in an epidemiological oral health survey conducted in a municipality in Minas Gerais, Brazil. OUs and POPs were defined by the epidemiological criterion (dental crown status) or clinical criterion "gold standard" (carbon paper record of occlusal contacts during habitual maximum intercuspation). SDA corresponded to the presence of an intact anterior region and three to five OUs. FD was based on the concomitant presence of ≥ 1 tooth in each arch, 10 teeth in each arch, 12 anterior teeth, ≥ 3 premolar POPs, and ≥ 1 molar POP bilaterally. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy of the epidemiological criterion were calculated. The study included 197 adults. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 88.5, 87.9, 92.5, and 81.9%, respectively, and accuracy was 88.3%. The epidemiological criterion proved to be valid and could be used in epidemiological studies to calculate the prevalence of reduced dental configurations that consider POPs. The assessment of oral functionality is an aspect that should be included in the diagnosis of the clinical condition of patients, contributing to a more effective individual and collective oral health care plan.

Association between Dentin Hypersensitivity and Health/Oral Health-related Quality of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the association between DH and Health (HRQoL) or Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL). Material and Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, Cochrane, Scielo, LILACS/BBO, Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações (BDTD), Open Grey, and Google Scholar databases were screened in September 2019 (updated in October 2022). Observational studies were selected to compare HRQoL/OHRQoL(outcome) according to DH(exposure) or evaluate the association among these variables. Standardized Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool for analytical cross-sectional studies was used to analyze the risk of bias. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize evidence for the association between DH and OHRQoL. Results: 10 papers met inclusion criteria and were evaluated. In most studies, presenting or having a greater intensity of DH was associated with a negative impact on one's quality of life. However, most of these studies showed a moderate to high risk of methodological bias. The consistent finding from studies with a low risk of bias suggests a significant association between DH and OHRQoL. Meta-analysis was feasible for three studies with substantial heterogeneity. The pooled Odds Ratio was 2.14 (95%CI 1.15-3.99; I2= 57,44%). Conclusion: Many studies presented a high risk of bias; therefore, the actual effect of DH on one's quality of life remains uncertain.

Hipersensibilidade dentinária e satisfação com a saúde mediada pela presença de impacto físico e psicossocial das condições bucais: uma análise de caminhos / Dentin hypersensitivity and health satisfaction mediated by the presence of physical and psychosocial impacts of oral conditions: a pathway analysis

Objetivo: Objetivou-se investigar associação direta e mediada pela presença de impacto físico e psicossocial das condições bucais entre HD e satisfação com a saúde entre adultos. Métodos: Estudo transversal foi realizado entre 2018-2019 com amostra probabilística por conglomerado de adultos residentes em Rio Acima (MG). Entrevista e exame bucal foram realizados por examinadoras calibradas. Satisfação com a saúde foi avaliada por meio da pergunta doWHOQoL-bref "Quão satisfeito (a) você está com a sua saúde?" e suas respostas categorizadas entre "satisfeito" e "insatisfeito". HD foi avaliada por estímulo tátil na região cervical dos dentes. Presença de impactos físicos e psicossociais das condições bucais foi definida pelas respostas "repetidamente" ou "sempre" a pelo menos um dos itens do OHIP-14. Covariáveis foram dados sociodemográficos e econômicos, comportamentos em saúde, condições de saúde bucal e uso de serviços odontológicos. Associações foram investigadas por modelos de Regressão de Poisson e Modelagem de Equações Estruturais (MEE) para estimar associações diretas e indiretas (Stata 16). Resultados: Dos 197 adultos, 132 (66,18%) declararam estar satisfeitos com sua saúde e 73 indivíduos (38,75%) apresentavam HD. Houve associação significativa entre presença de HD e presença de impacto físico e psicossocial das condições bucais (RP: 1.34; IC 95%: 1.08­1.67), enquanto para satisfação a associação com HD não foi significativa (RP: 1.08; IC 95%: 0.75-1.54) após a inclusão da variável presença de impacto físico e psicossocial das condições bucais. MEE demonstrou associação direta não significativa entre HD e satisfação, enquanto a associação indireta mediada pela presença de impacto físico e psicossocial das condições bucais foi significativa. Conclusão: Indivíduos com HD podem relatar maior insatisfação com a vida quando esta experiência dolorosa está associada com impactos físicos ou psicossociais.

Aim: Dentin Hypersensitivity (DH) is a painful condition that affects the Oral Health-related Quality of Life and can affect the satisfaction with health of individuals who have it. This study aimed to investigate the direct association mediated by the presence of physical and psychosocial impacts of oral conditions between DH and satisfaction with health among adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out between 2018-2019 with a probabilistic sample consisting of a cluster of adults living in Rio Acima (MG). Interviews and epidemiological examinations were performed using calibrated tests. The dependent variable of satisfaction with health was assessed using the WHOQoL-bref question "How satisfied are you with your health?" Participants' answers were categorized between "satisfied" and "dissatisfied". The independent DH variable was assessed by tactile stimulation in the cervical region of the teeth. The presence of physical and psychosocial impacts of oral conditions was defined by the answers "farly often" or "very often" to at least one of the OHIP-14 items. Covariates were sociodemographic and psychological data, health behavior, oral health conditions, and use of dental services. Associations were investigated by Poisson Regression and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) models to estimate direct and indirect associations (Stata 16). Results: Of the 197 adults, 132 (66.18%) reported being satisfied with their health, and 73 individuals (38.75%) had DH. There was a significant association between the presence of DH and the presence of physical and psychosocial impacts of oral health (PR:1.34; 95% CI: 1.08­1.67), while for receiving the association with DH, it was not significant (PR:1 .08; 95% CI: 0.75-1.54) after including the presence of impact variables. SEM showed a non-significant direct association between DH and satisfaction, while the indirect association mediated by the presence of impact was significant. Conclusion: Individuals with HD may report greater dissatisfaction with life when this painful experience is associated with physical or psychosocial effects.

Validation of pairs of antagonist teeth for the evaluation of shortened dental arch in epidemiological studies

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of pairs of antagonist teeth (epidemiological criterion) for defining pairs of teeth in occlusal contact (clinical criterion) and to estimate the agreement between the prevalence of "shortened dental arch" (SDA) and "functional dentition" (FD) when occlusal units (OUs) or posterior occluding pairs (POPs) are defined by the epidemiological or clinical criterion. Data were collected in an epidemiological oral health survey conducted in a municipality in Minas Gerais, Brazil. OUs and POPs were defined by the epidemiological criterion (dental crown status) or clinical criterion "gold standard" (carbon paper record of occlusal contacts during habitual maximum intercuspation). SDA corresponded to the presence of an intact anterior region and three to five OUs. FD was based on the concomitant presence of ≥ 1 tooth in each arch, 10 teeth in each arch, 12 anterior teeth, ≥ 3 premolar POPs, and ≥ 1 molar POP bilaterally. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy of the epidemiological criterion were calculated. The study included 197 adults. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 88.5, 87.9, 92.5, and 81.9%, respectively, and accuracy was 88.3%. The epidemiological criterion proved to be valid and could be used in epidemiological studies to calculate the prevalence of reduced dental configurations that consider POPs. The assessment of oral functionality is an aspect that should be included in the diagnosis of the clinical condition of patients, contributing to a more effective individual and collective oral health care plan.

Mother's education and family relations protect children from dental caries experience: a salutogenic approach.

The objective of this study was to identify dental caries-protective factors among 5-year-old children using the salutogenic theory. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a small-sized municipality in the Southeast region of Brazil, with a representative sample of 247 children registered in preschool and their respective mothers. The data were collected through questionnaires administered to the mothers about the socioeconomic, behavioral, and biological aspects of the mother and children. Additionally, the collections included validated instruments concerning psychosocial aspects, such as a sense of coherence, resilience, family cohesion and religiosity, and intraoral examinations of the children through the decayed-missing-filled primary teeth (dmft) index. All examinations were performed by a trained and calibrated examiner. The non-adjusted and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and their respective confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using multiple logistic regression with a hierarchical model. Among the examined children, 41.7% were caries-free. In the final model, the chances of the absence of dental caries experience (dmft = 0) were greater in children with mothers who had higher education levels (> 8 years of study) (OR = 2.55 [95%CIi:1.42-4.59]) and those who lived in an environment of high family cohesion (OR = 3.66 [95%CI: 1.19-11.29]). The results indicated that mothers' level of education and family relationships are protective factors against dental caries in 5-year-old children, which overlapped with behavioral and biological factors.