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Objective: To assess the association between temporomandibular disorder (TMD) with sociodemographic factors, health-related factors, and oral conditions in adolescents. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was developed with 89 adolescents between 13 to 18 years. TMD diagnosis was obtained by the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disease (RDC/TMD) Axis I. Diagnoses of chronic pain, depression, presence of non-specific physical symptoms, including pain and anxiety, were obtained by the RDC/TMD Axis II. The feeling of happiness was measured by the Subjective Happiness Scale. Socio-economic and demographic characteristics were collected through self-administered questionnaires. Patients were examined for dental caries, dental trauma, malocclusion, and tooth wear. Parents answered a sociodemographic, economic, and general health questionnaire. Data were submitted to descriptive statistics, and a logistic regression model was used to assess the association between TMD and the socio-economic, demographic, health-related, and clinical variables. Results: TMD prevalence was 42%. TMD was associated to skin color (p=0.040), use of medications in the past year (p = 0.020) and previous dental trauma (p=0.030). Also, it tended to be associated with the presence of probable awake bruxism (p=0.053). Conclusion: Sociodemographic factors, health-related factors, and oral conditions play a role in TMD, with nonwhite adolescents, those who had used medications in the past year and/or had previous dental trauma having a greater chance of present this disorder.

Objective: To verify and compare the sociodemographic data and caregivers’ self-perception of children’s oral health condition, hygiene habits and seek for dental services among family units of deaf and normal-hearing children. Material and Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted with 64 parents/caregivers of 16 deaf and 48 normal-hearing children of 3-14 years old, belonging to reference centers in Belo Horizonte, southeastern Brazil. Deaf and hearing children were matched according to their sex and age. Sociodemographic characteristics of the family units and self-report of oral health conditions and care were assessed using a structured questionnaire, including information regarding seeking pediatric dental services. Descriptive analysis and chi-square test were performed (p

Objective: To investigate the association between child’s daytime caring person and risk for higher early childhood caries (ECC) experience. Material and Methods: The sample consisted of all clinical records (census) of children (0-3 years old) attended in a public dental clinic, which contained information about caries experience and child’s daytime caring person (mother, grandmother or others). Caries experience was dichotomized as dmft ≤ 2 or dmft >2. Data were analyzed by the chi-square (α = 0.05). Binary logistic regression models were built. Results: From a total of 310 children, 19% of children had the grandmother as daytime caring person. There was no association between child’s daytime caring person and caries experience (p=0.32). Logistic regression analysis showed that low daytime caregiver schooling (OR: 5.76 95%CI 1.18-28.18; p=0.02) and child’s age (OR: 1.14 95% CI 1.09-1.19; p=0.00) were risk factors, and breastfeeding duration (> 9 months – OR: 0.38 95% CI 0.21-0.68; p=0.00), no nocturnal feeding (OR: 0.50 95% CI 0.27-0.91; p=0.02), and absence of sugar consumption between main meals (OR: 0.50 95% CI 0.28- 0.89; p=0.02) were protection factors for ECC. Conclusion: A higher caries experience in early childhood is not associated to child’s daytime caring person. On the other hand, the higher caries experience is associated with low caregiver schooling and older children.

Objective: To measure the influence of oral health literacy (OHL) level in the improvement of knowledge about traumatic dental injuries (TDI) after an educational intervention. Material and Methods: A total of 257 parents of children aged 0–12 years had their OHL level evaluated (BREALD-30). A leaflet with information about how to respond to TDI Emergency was developed and delivered to the parents. A questionnaire about attitudes towards TDI was administered before (TDIQ1) and after (TDIQ2) parents read the educational leaflet. The hypotheses were evaluated by non-parametric tests, correlation analysis and logistic regression. Results: The mean OHL score was 21.6. The means of correct answers in TDIQ1 were 5.5 and 5.9 (p = 0.066) and in TDIQ2 were 6.6 and 7.7 (p=0.003) between the groups with inadequate and marginal/adequate OHL, respectively. In the logistic regression, the total score of BREALD-30 and the maximum number of correct answers in TDIQ2 maintained statistical association when adjusted for schooling, gender, age of the parents, family income and the number of correct answers in the first application of the questionnaire. Conclusion: The level of OHL influenced the improvement of parents’ knowledge about emergency care in cases of TDI in children from an educational intervention using a leaflet, and this intervention was more effective for parents with adequate OHL.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: TO evaluate the family and contextual factors associated with licit drug use among 15 to 19-year-old adolescents in the school context. METHODS: This is a representative, school-based, cross-sectional study conducted with 746 adolescents from 15 to 19 years old enrolled in public and private schools. Parents/guardians reported on the sociodemographic variables, while adolescents answered questionnaires on drug use, family cohesion and adaptability, oral health literacy and visits to the dentist. Information on school context was obtained at the institution and via municipal publications. Associations between variables were analyzed using unadjusted and adjusted multilevel Poisson regression models. RESULTS: Prevalence of licit drug use at least once and a pattern indicative of harmful drug use were 39.8% and 15.1%, respectively. After the adjusted analysis of licit drug use at least once, the variables gender (PR = 1.26; 95%CI: 1.01–1.59), family cohesion (PR = 9.81; 95%CI: 1.23–72.54), and average income of the school district (PR = 0.72; 95%CI: 0.57–0.91) remained in the final model. As for drug abuse, only the detached type (PR = 23.01; 95%CI: 2.46–214.87) and separated type (PR = 13.54; 95%CI: 1.40–130.97) of family cohesion remained in the final model. CONCLUSION: Experience with licit drug use was associated with family and contextual factors among the adolescents, while family cohesion was the main factor related to harmful drug use.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To investigate whether oral health literacy (OHL) and school context are associated with untreated dental caries on the anterior teeth of adolescents. METHODS A representative cross-sectional study was conducted with 746 students aging 15 to 19 in the city of Campina Grande, Brazil. The guardians answered a questionnaire addressing sociodemographic data and the absence/presence of private health insurance. Two examiners were trained for the diagnosis of dental caries using the Nyvad criteria and the measurement of OHL using the Brazilian Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry (BREALD-30) (Kappa > 0.80). Contextual aspects of the schools were obtained from the 2017 National School Census. Descriptive statistics were conducted, followed by unadjusted and adjusted robust negative binomial regression for complex samples (p < 0.05). RESULTS The average number of anterior teeth with untreated caries was 0.95 (SD = 1.77). Among individual factors, the male sex (RR = 1.64; 95%CI: 1.24–2.16), inadequate level of OHL (RR = 2.03; 95%CI: 1.13–1.63), marginal level of OHL (RR = 1.87; 95%CI: 1.05–3.33) and not having private health insurance (RR = 1.34; 95%CI: 1.07–1.68) were associated with untreated caries on anterior teeth. Among school contextual factors, the number of students in the classroom (RR = 2.64; 95%CI: 1.78–3.93), number of public oral health services in the district (RR = 0.14; 95%CI: 0.05–0.39) and average income of the district in which the school is located (RR = 0.99; 95%CI: 0.98–0.99) were associated with the outcome. CONCLUSIONS Sociodemographic factors, having private health insurance, OHL, and school context exerted an influence on the occurrence of untreated dental caries on anterior teeth in adolescents aging 15 to 19.

Objective: To investigate the influence de two instruments for evaluation of cariogenic foods consumption by schoolchildren. Material and Methods: The convenience sample comprised of 30 active-caries children (7-10 years old) attended in a public dental clinic and their mothers, who have not received dietary orientation before study. A trained evaluator administered the Previous Day Food Questionnaire (PDFQ) to children and other examiner applied the 24-hour dietary recall with mothers. Internal consistency between PDFQ and 24-hour dietary recall regarding frequency of sugar intake was calculated using intraclass correlation coefficient. Bivariate analyses (Mann-Whitney test) were performed to investigate the factors associated with frequency of sugar intake when using both instruments (α=0.05). Results: A moderate correlation (ICC = 0.51; 95%CI: -0.04–0.77; p=0.03) was found between instruments. Mean frequency of sugar intake reported by mothers and children was 3.5 (± 1.8) and 3.7 (± 1.5) times a day, respectively. When using the PDFQ, the frequency of cariogenic foods consumption varied depending on frequency of toothbrushing, i.e., children that had higher frequency of sugar intake brushed their teeth at least two times a day (p=0.016). Conclusion: Previous Day Food Questionnaire applied with schoolchildren could substitute the mothers’ reports of cariogenic foods consumption when dietary interventions for controlling dental caries are necessary. If doubts remain regarding the children’s response, mothers should be consulted.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between human development and dental caries in 12-year-old schoolchildren from the twenty-seven Brazilian states and to analyze the spatial distribution of these variables. Material and Methods: This was an ecological study using secondary data from the National Epidemiological Oral Health Survey 2010 and from the United Nations Development Program. Human development was measured by the Human Development Index (HDI) and dental caries by the Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth index (DMFT). Dental caries prevalence and experience at the age of 12, and state HDI were entered into Google Sheets® and Google My Maps® for map creation. Data were analyzed by Pearson’s correlation (HDI and DMFT, DMFT individual components, prevalence of dental caries and prevalence of dental pain) (p

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the Clear Communication Index instrument from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC-CCI) from English to Brazilian Portuguese. METHODS This study comprised initial discussion about the conceptual equivalence of the instrument by a committee formed by experts on health education. We performed translations, synthesis of translations, back-translations, revision by the committee, and linguistic revision. Semantic equivalence was obtained by analyzing the referential and general meaning of each item by the committee, resulting in a pre-final version of the instrument. Subsequently, thirty professionals with health sciences degrees performed a pre-test. These professionals used the pre-final version of the instrument to assess a health education material. A questionnaire was applied to evaluate the acceptability of the instrument, the understanding of each of the 20 items, as well as the individual and professional variables. We analyzed the scores attributed to the health education material, the variables related to healthcare professionals, the proportions of the acceptability of the instrument, and the comprehension of each item. RESULTS After we obtained the conceptual equivalence of the instrument, the committee of experts, the instrument’s main author, and the linguist produced the pre-final version using two translations, a synthesis of the translations, and two back-translations. A general equivalence was maintained in 15 of the 20 items (75%), four of the items were slightly altered (20%), and one item was very altered (5%). Nineteen items presented referential equivalence or near equivalence (95%). We then carried out with the pre-test, in which the professionals used the pre-final version. Two items in the domains of “risks” and “main message” were unclear and needed to be revised. CONCLUSION The process of cross-cultural adaptation of the Clear Communication Index provided an adapted version to the Brazilian Portuguese language.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE Evaluate socio-demographic, family and behavioral factors associated with oral health literacy (OHL) in adolescents. METHODS Cross-sectional study conducted with adolescents aged 15 to 19 years in Campina Grande, Brazil. Parents/guardians answered a questionnaire addressing socio-demographic data. The adolescents answered validated instruments on family cohesion and adaptability (family adaptability and cohesion evaluation scale), drug use (alcohol, smoking and substance involvement screening test), type of dental service used for last appointment and OHL (Brazilian version of the Rapid Estimate of Oral Health Literacy in Dentistry). Two dentists were trained to evaluate OHL (K = 0.87–0.88). Descriptive analysis was performed, followed by Poisson regression analysis (α = 5%). A directed acyclic graph was used to select independent variables in the study. RESULTS The following variables remained associated with better OHL: high mother’s schooling level (RR = 1.07; 95%CI: 1.03–1.12), high income (RR = 1.04; 95%CI: 1.01–1.09), white ethnicity/skin color (RR = 1.05; 95%CI: 1.01–1.10), married parents (RR = 1.04; 95%CI: 1.01–1.09), “enmeshed” family cohesion (RR = 1.21; 95%CI: 1.12–1.30), “structured” (RR = 1.06; 95%CI: 1.01–1.12) or “rigid” (RR = 1.11; 95%CI: 1.04–1.19) family adaptability, having more than five residents in the home (RR = 1.07; 95%CI: 1.01–1.14) and having used a private dental service during the last appointment (RR = 1.08; 95%CI: 1.03–1.13). CONCLUSION Family functioning and socio-demographic factors influence the level of oral health literacy among adolescents.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry (BREALD-30) administered to adolescents. METHODS The study included 750 adolescents: 375 aged 12 years and 375 aged 15–19 years, attending public and private schools in Campina Grande, state of Paraíba, Brazil, in 2017. Reliability was measured based on internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Convergent validity was measured based on correlations between BREALD-30 and Functional Literacy Indicator scores. Divergent validity was measured by comparing BREALD-30 scores with sociodemographic variables. For predictive validity, the association between BREALD-30 scores and the presence of cavitated carious lesions was tested using a multiple logistic regression model. All statistical tests were performed with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS BREALD-30 showed good internal consistency for the 12 year olds and 15 to19 year olds (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.871 and 0.834, respectively) and good test-retest reliability [intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.898 and 0.974; kappa = 0.804 and 0.808, respectively]. Moreover, item-total correlation was satisfactory for all items. BREALD-30 had convergent validity with the Functional Literacy Indicator for 12 year olds (rs = 0.558, p < 0.001) and for 15 to 19 year olds (rs = 0.652, p < 0.001). Participants with higher oral health literacy levels who attended private schools (p < 0.001), belonged to economic classes A and B2 (p < 0.001), and who had parents with higher education levels (p < 0.001) were included, indicating the divergent validity of the BREALD-30. Participants with lower BREALD-30 scores were more likely to have cavitated carious lesions [12 year olds: odds ratio (OR) = 2.37; 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.48–3.80; 15 to 19 year olds: OR = 1.96; 95%CI 1.24–3.11]. CONCLUSIONS BREALD-30 shows satisfactory psychometric properties for use on Brazilian adolescents and can be applied as a fast, simple, and reliable measure of oral health literacy.