RESUMEN
AIM: To investigate risk factors for the occurrence of traumatic dental injuries (TDI) at 4 years of age. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. METHODS: A birth cohort (n = 500) was recruited from the public healthcare system in São Leopoldo, Brazil. Demographic, socioeconomic, anthropometric, and behavioral variables were collected at 6 months, 1 year, and 4 years of age. Clinical examinations at 4 years of age were carried out by a single examiner using the Andreasen classification. Poisson regression was used to determine risk factors for the occurrence of TDI at 4 years of age. RESULTS: A total of 23.7% of the children (80/337) exhibited TDI at 4 years of age. The risk of TDI was 35% lower among children who had been breastfeed for ≥6 months relative risk (RR 0.65; 95% CI 0.43-0.97) and more than twofold higher among those who were bottle fed ≥ three times a day (RR 2.37; 95% CI 1.10-5.11) at 12 months of age. Higher household income in the first year of life and greater height at 4 years of age were significantly associated with the outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of behavioral, socioeconomic, and anthropometric risk factors for TDI in early childhood can contribute to the elaboration of prevention strategies.
