Toothpaste use in Peruvian children during COVID-19 pandemic: results from a National Demographic and Health Survey.

PURPOSE: To determine the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on use of toothpaste in Peruvian children. METHODS: A national database of Peruvian children from 0 to 11 years old was used to develop a cross-sectional study, with a final sample of 51, 013 subjects. Data were obtained of results of the Demographic and Family Health Survey (ENDES); the questionnaire was self-reported. The use of toothpaste and fluoride concentration in toothpaste were dependent variables, and for the independent variable, the year was considered; in addition, other covariates were included. The statistical analyses applied were descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate tests. RESULTS: Use of toothpaste was 98.99% (n = 50,134), while fluoride toothpaste with < 1000 ppm was used by 77.29% (n = 27,366). For bivariate analysis, use of toothpaste was associated with place and area of residence, altitude, natural region, and age; for use of fluoride toothpaste with minimum 1000 ppm, there was an association with place and area of residence, natural region, wealth index, and age. In a multivariate manner, year only presented a positive association with use of fluoride toothpaste < 1000 ppm (RPa:1.04; 95%CI 1.01-1.07). CONCLUSIONS: Year 2020 of COVID-19 pandemic had a positive impact on the use of < 1000 ppm fluoride toothpaste in Peruvian children.

Social gradients in dental attendance among older adults: Findings from the National Survey on Demographics and Health in Peru.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the presence of inequalities in attendance to dental services in relation to socio-economic position (SEP) in a national sample of older adults in Peru. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: A cross-sectional study using multivariate regression analysis of secondary data obtained from the National survey on demographics and family health in Peru (Encuesta Nacional en Demografía y Salud familiar, ENDES). PARTICIPANTS: 4749 ≥60-year-olds. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Attendance at dental health services in the last 2 years. Independent variable: Wealth Index as a measure of SEP. Covariates: Sex, age, natural region of residence, place of residence and health insurance coverage. RESULTS: There was a social gradient for the association between attendance to dental health services and SEP, with older adults from the richest (fifth) quintile showing a 3.01 times higher probability of visiting dental services (95%CI 2.15-4.19), those in the fourth quintile PR=2.19 (95%CI 1.61-3.00), third quintile PR=2.00 (95%CI 1.49-2.69), and those in the second quintile PR=1.42 (95%CI 1.10-1.84), when compared to the poorest quintile after adjusting for sex, age, residence, natural region and health insurance coverage. CONCLUSIONS: There is a clear social gradient in dental attendance among older adults in Peru. This is important to provide further insights into current national programmes and relevant long-term policies.