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Background: No longitudinal study has evaluated the mutual relationship between dental fear and oral health in the same investigation. Aim: To evaluate the reciprocal longitudinal relationship between dental fear and oral health in schoolchildren. Design: This longitudinal study monitored 416 Brazilian children aged 5‐7 years of age at baseline for 2 years. The decayed, filled and missing teeth were clinically assessed for each child. Dental fear was evaluated by Dental Anxiety Question. Multilevel mixed‐effects linear and logistic regressions analysed the reciprocal relationship between dental fear and oral health. Results: Children with caries experience had 1.8 times higher odds of dental fear compared to children who were caries free. The presence of a carious tooth increased the odds of dental fear by 1.2 times. Children with dental fear had 0.46 additional carious tooth; an additional 0.22 tooth indicated for extraction; and a 0.67 higher caries experience score compared to children without dental fear. Conclusions: We observed a reciprocal relationship between dental fear and poor oral health. Both parents and dentists should provide realistic information for the children, discouraging biased negative expectations regarding dental treatment. Ultimately, the child would acquire positive perceptions of the dental environment, reducing their phobia and consequently improving oral health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are multifactorial, and high levels of stress seem to increase symptoms. The association with exposure to violence has not been explored in adolescent populations., Objective: To examine the association of self-reported symptoms of temporomandibular pain and jaw dysfunction with child physical abuse, intimate partner violence, forced sexual intercourse, and bullying victimisation., Methods: An epidemiological, cross-sectional, school-based study was conducted in Olinda, northeast Brazil. The sample comprised 2,431 adolescents aged 14-19 years. TMD-related symptoms and exposure to violence were assessed with questions from the 3Q/TMD screener and queries on exposure to different forms of violence. Multilevel logistic regressions were conducted to evaluate how 3Q screen-positive responses are associated with self-reported exposure to violence., Results: Self-reported TMD-related symptoms had a prevalence of 40.5%. Significantly more females than males screened positive to all 3Q/TMD questions (p < .001). Adolescents experiencing intimate partner violence (p = .012) and bullying (p < .001) had significantly higher odds of 3Q positive responses than those who reported no exposure to violence. Significant associations of TMD-related symptoms with forced sexual intercourse (p = .014) and with bullying (p = .007) were observed., Conclusion: Adolescents with self-reported symptoms of temporomandibular pain and jaw dysfunction were significantly more often exposed to some type of violence. The number of adolescents reporting TMD-related symptoms increased in a dose-response manner with the number of violence forms the individual had experienced., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Self-perceived oral health (SPOH) is a summary of multiple determinants related to oral health and has been suggested for use in clinical practice as a health assessment tool., Aim: To analyse determinants of SPOH among adolescents., Design: In 2018, we selected 1742 participants from eight high schools in Olinda/PE, Brazil, using a multistage stratified cluster sample. The main survey item of SPOH was 'How would you rate your oral health'. Determinants of were queried with a questionnaire and a clinical examination: socio-demographic variables, exposure to family violence, somatic symptoms, and orofacial and general health factors. Pearson's chi-square test and logistic regressions evaluated associations between determinants and SPOH., Results: Very poor SPOH had a prevalence of 8.7%. Nearly half (43.5%) rated their oral health as 'fair'. Very poor SPOH was associated with poor self-perceived general health (OR = 2.60), anterior open bite (OR = 2.24), not cohabiting with one or both parents (OR = 2.40), caries experience (OR = 1.93), dental pain (OR = 1.91), and temporomandibular disorders (OR = 1.77)., Conclusion: Very poor self-perceived oral health indicates life stress and associates with poor oral conditions. Assessments should be used to explore individual treatment needs and abilities to comply with recommendations., (© 2020 The Authors. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry published by BSPD, IAPD and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)