Association among oral health and academic performance: a longitudinal study in a university in Southern Brazil.

This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the association between self-perceived oral health, oral-health-related quality-of-life (OHRQoL), toothache, and university students' academic performance or dropout. A cohort of 2,089 students from 64 different courses at a public university in southern Brazil was interviewed in 2016 regarding their self-perceived oral health (Locker instrument; dichotomized into good/poor), OHRQoL (Oral Impacts on Daily Performances instrument, OIDP) and having had any toothache over the last 6 months (yes/no). After three years (2020), the academic records of 1,870 of these students were assessed, their average grade over all courses evaluated, and their dropout status was determined. Multivariable linear or logistic regression adjusting for gender, skin color, age, family income and maternal education was used to associate oral health variables (self-perceived oral health, OIDP, toothache) and academic performance or dropout. In 2016, 28.6% reported negative self-perceived oral health through the Locker instrument and 31.4% had toothache in the last 6 months. Over the next three years, 36.2% had dropped out. In multivariable regression, toothache in the last 6 months had a decrease of 0.32 (ß -0.32, CI95% -0.59; -0.04) points in the final grade and were 35% (OR 1.35 CI95% 1.08; 1.69) more likely to dropout than students without toothache. In conclusion, this study showed that worse oral health conditions may be associated with worse academic performance or dropping out.

Association among oral health and academic performance: a longitudinal study in a university in Southern Brazil

Abstract This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the association between self-perceived oral health, oral-health-related quality-of-life (OHRQoL), toothache, and university students' academic performance or dropout. A cohort of 2,089 students from 64 different courses at a public university in southern Brazil was interviewed in 2016 regarding their self-perceived oral health (Locker instrument; dichotomized into good/poor), OHRQoL (Oral Impacts on Daily Performances instrument, OIDP) and having had any toothache over the last 6 months (yes/no). After three years (2020), the academic records of 1,870 of these students were assessed, their average grade over all courses evaluated, and their dropout status was determined. Multivariable linear or logistic regression adjusting for gender, skin color, age, family income and maternal education was used to associate oral health variables (self-perceived oral health, OIDP, toothache) and academic performance or dropout. In 2016, 28.6% reported negative self-perceived oral health through the Locker instrument and 31.4% had toothache in the last 6 months. Over the next three years, 36.2% had dropped out. In multivariable regression, toothache in the last 6 months had a decrease of 0.32 (β -0.32, CI95% -0.59; -0.04) points in the final grade and were 35% (OR 1.35 CI95% 1.08; 1.69) more likely to dropout than students without toothache. In conclusion, this study showed that worse oral health conditions may be associated with worse academic performance or dropping out.

Prevalência de injúrias em tecidos moles em pacientes atendidos em um centro especializado no tratamento de traumatismos dentários

Avaliar a prevalência de lesões de tecidos moles em crianças que sofreram traumatismo alveolodentário na dentição decídua, atendidas em um serviço especializado da Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Pelotas. Métodos: os dados coletados dos prontuários dos pacientes atendidos de 2002 a 2011 foram: idade, sexo, injúria em tecidos moles e severidade do traumatismo. Os dados foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva e associações foram feitas pelo Teste Qui-Quadrado, utilizando o programa Stata 11.0. Resultados: dos 707 prontuários analisados, 603 crianças foram incluídas no estudo. Desse total, 51,41% apresentaram lesões em tecidos moles, além das injúrias dentárias. A maior prevalência de lesões em tecidos moles foi em crianças de 25 a 36 meses (24,71%) e entre o sexo masculino (58,87%). A presença de lesões em tecidos moles foi estatisticamente significante em rela- ção à severidade do traumatismo (p≤0,001) e à idade da criança (p=0,004), no entanto, não foi observada diferença em relação ao sexo. A lesão em tecido mole mais prevalente foi a laceração, tanto na região extraoral (46,75%) quanto na intraoral (64,10%), seguida por contusão e abrasão. Considerando todos os tipos de lesões, a região intraoral foi a mais atingida (50,32%). Conclusão: as lesões em tecido mole estão presentes em grande parte das crianças que sofrem traumatismo (51,41%), portanto, é necessário ressaltar a importância do exame e do tratamento dessas lesões.