Is Low Income Associated with Malocclusion in Primary Dentition Among Preschoolers?

Abstract Objective: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with malocclusion in the primary dentition of preschool children in a city of Brazilian Northeast. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 566 five-years-old preschool children who were enrolled in public and private preschools in the city of Teresina, Piauí, Brazil. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire administrated to parents/caregivers and clinical oral examination of the children was performed. Foster and Hamilton Index for primary teeth was used for the diagnosis of malocclusions. Descriptive analysis was carried out and Poisson regression was used to assesses the association with independent variables. Results: The prevalence of malocclusion was 51.2%. The most frequent types were Class II canines (17% and 16.8%), increased overjet (15.2%) and reduced overbite (14%). Anterior crossbite was present in 3.5% of the preschool children evaluated. There was an association between malocclusion and low family income (PR = 1.22; 95% CI = 1.01-1.47). Conclusion: The prevalence of malocclusion in the primary dentition was high and associated with a low family income.

Factors Associated with Early Weaning According to the Report of Mothers in a Child Friendly Hospital Initiative

Objective: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with early weaning according to the report of mothers in a Child Friendly Hospital Initiative. Material and Methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional study with a sample of 252 mother/child binomials, participants in a maternal and childcare program, in a Child Friendly Hospital Initiative in Teresina, Brazil. A semi-structured questionnaire was used as the data collection instrument, administered to the mothers in individual interviews, with questions about socioeconomic conditions, breastfeeding, period, reason and way of weaning; and non-nutritive sucking habits. Early weaning was considered when the supply of breast milk was interrupted before the six months of life. For data analysis, descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed (Pearson's Chi-Square Test and Fisher's Exact Test), with a level of significance of 5%. Results: The prevalence of early weaning was 11.9%. The reasons given for interrupting breastfeeding by the mothers were: 23,% attributions of the mother; 46.% attributions of the infant; 23.3 % organic deficiency of the mother; 6.7% influence of others; and 4.8% of the mothers were still breastfeeding. The finger and/or pacifier sucking habits (p=0.002), and the use of a bottle (p=0.003) were associated with early weaning. A significant association between the total weaning period and the socioeconomic variables was not observed (p>0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of early weaning was low. The main factors were related to "infant attributions", associated to children with non-nutritive sucking habits, bottle use, first tooth erupted with less than 6 months and whose mothers had formal employment.

Impact of molar-incisor hypomineralization on oral health-related quality of life in schoolchildren

Abstract This study evaluated the impact of molar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH) on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) according to the perceptions of schoolchildren and their parents/caregivers. This cross-sectional study consisted of a sample of 594 schoolchildren between 11 and 14 years of age and their parents/caregivers who answered the questionnaires CPQ11-14ISF:16 and P-CPQ, respectively. The main independent variable of this study was MIH of the schoolchildren. Experience of dental caries, malocclusion, and socioeconomic status were treated as confounding variables. Statistical analysis used descriptive analysis and Poisson regression with robust variance. The prevalence of MIH was 18.9%. The overall P-CPQ score ranged from 0 to 35 (average = 7.26 ± 6.84), and the overall CPQ11-14ISF:16 score ranged from 0 to 47 (average = 11.92 ± 7.98). Severe MIH was associated with a greater negative impact of the "functional limitation" domain (RR = 1.41; 95%CI = 1.01-1.97), according to parents'/caregivers' perceptions. Severe MIH was associated with a greater negative impact of the "oral symptom" domain (RR = 1.30; 95%CI = 1.06-1.60) and functional limitation domain (RR = 1.42; 95%CI = 1.08-1.86), according to the schoolchildren's perceptions. Schoolchildren with severe MIH had a greater negative impact on the oral symptom and functional limitation domains than those without MIH. According to parents'/caregivers' perceptions, schoolchildren with severe MIH had a greater negative impact on the functional limitation domain than those without MIH.