Social Factors Associated with the Decline in Caries in Brazilian Children between 1996 and 2010.

Dental caries levels have declined in children since the 1970s in many countries. Most of the postulated main reasons for the decline are speculative and have not been rigorously evaluated. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between some social factors and the decline in dental caries in Brazilian 12-year-old children from 1996 to 2010. Secondary analysis of national data was performed in 27 Brazilian state capitals. A panel data regression model with fixed effects and multiple linear regression were used to verify the relationship between the explanatory and the dependent variables and also the time-trend effect. The results showed that the DMFT (decayed, missing, and filled teeth) decreased by about 3% per year, and the percentage of caries-free children increased by 4.5% per year. For DMFT and percentage caries free, the results for the panel data regression showed a significant association for the Human Development Index (HDI) in the adjusted model (p = 0.010). When the overall changes over time were compared, the Gini index had a significant association with the overall change in DMFT in the final model of the multiple regression analysis (p = 0.033). Our results indicate that the maintenance of good levels of human development, which includes better education, income, and longevity, are important factors relating to improving levels of oral health in 12-year-old Brazilian children. However, to accelerate this process in cities with the worst caries situation, income inequality should be tackled.

[Mothers' perception of dental eruption syndrome and its clinical manifestation during childhood]. / Percepção de mães sobre a síndrome da erupção dentária e suas manifestações clínicas na infância.

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at identifying primiparous and multiparous mothers perceptions about tooth eruption and related symptoms as well as discussing such events occurrence in the light of the relevant literature. METHODS: The research adopted a qualitative, descriptive design; 61 mothers who had already given birth to babies aged 3 to 12 months old were studied. Their children were outpatients at Rio Grande do Norte Federal Universitys Paediatric Hospital in Natal, RN, Brazil. A semi-structured interview was used for collecting data. ALCESTE 4.5 software was used for analysing data based on primiparous and multiparous mothers as variables; the former term referred to mothers bearing a child for the first time and multiparous to those who had born more than one child. RESULTS: Symptomatology was related by 75 % of the mothers interviewed here. The perception of the mothers from both groups probably pointed to a lack of knowledge regarding child development and the process leading to the presence of clinical symptoms due to tooth eruption. However, the great difference lay in how this reality was perceived; mothers having a single child clearly affirmed that knowledge was acquired by common sense, whilst mothers of more than one child reproduced such knowledge according to their experience with previous children. DISCUSSION: It was concluded that during this phase of tooth eruption, professionals must adopt a firm and defined position based on the literature providing evidence of the real relationship between tooth eruption and general symptoms, paying attention to every patient and their complaints to demystify and better understand this whole process.

Percepção de mães sobre a síndrome da erupção dentária e suas manifestações clínicas na infância / Percepción de las madres acerca del síndrome de erupción dental y manifestaciones clínicas de la infancia / Mothers perception of dental eruption syndrome and its clinical manifestation during childhood

Objetivo Este estudo objetivou identificar a percepção de mães primíparas e multíparas sobre a erupção dentária e suas manifestações, ao mesmo tempo em que relacionou e discutiu a ocorrência destas manifestações a luz da literatura pertinente. Método Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo descritivo, onde os sujeitos foram 61 mães, com bebês na faixa etária entre 3 e 12 meses de idade, usuários do Hospital de Pediatria da UFRN, na cidade de Natal, RN, Brasil. Utilizou-se uma entrevista semi-estruturada para coleta das informações. A análise dos dados foi feita pelo Software ALCESTE 4.5, utilizando-se as variáveis primíparas, para designar mães com apenas um filho e multíparas para mães com dois filhos ou mais. Resultados A presença de sintomatologia foi relatada por 75 por cento das mães entrevistadas. A percepção das mães de ambas as classes, provavelmente reflete desconhecimento do processo de desenvolvimento infantil e convergem para a presença de sintomas clínicos atribuídos ao processo eruptivo, porém, o grande diferencial está na forma de apreensão desta realidade. As primíparas manifestam claramente que o conhecimento foi adquirido através do senso comum, enquanto que as multíparas reproduzem este mesmo conhecimento baseado na experiência com os filhos anteriores. Discussão Concluiu-se que durante essa fase de erupção dentária os profissionais tenham uma posição firme e definida, baseada em evidências fartamente colocadas pela literatura, da relação direta entre erupção dentária e sintomatologia geral, dando a devida atenção a cada paciente e suas queixas, para desmistificar e melhor compreender esse processo na sua totalidade.

Objective This study was aimed at identifying primiparous and multiparous mothers perceptions about tooth eruption and related symptoms as well as discussing such events occurrence in the light of the relevant literature. Methods The research adopted a qualitative, descriptive design; 61 mothers who had already given birth to babies aged 3 to 12 months old were studied. Their children were outpatients at Rio Grande do Norte Federal Universitys Paediatric Hospital in Natal, RN, Brazil. A semi-structured interview was used for collecting data. ALCESTE 4.5 software was used for analysing data based on primiparous and multiparous mothers as variables; the former term referred to mothers bearing a child for the first time and multiparous to those who had born more than one child. Results Symptomatology was related by 75 percent of the mothers interviewed here. The perception of the mothers from both groups probably pointed to a lack of knowledge regarding child development and the process leading to the presence of clinical symptoms due to tooth eruption. However, the great difference lay in how this reality was perceived; mothers having a single child clearly affirmed that knowledge was acquired by common sense, whilst mothers of more than one child reproduced such knowledge according to their experience with previous children. Discussion It was concluded that during this phase of tooth eruption, professionals must adopt a firm and defined position based on the literature providing evidence of the real relationship between tooth eruption and general symptoms, paying attention to every patient and their complaints to demystify and better understand this whole process.

Objetivo Este estudio tuvo como objetivo identificar la percepción de las madres primíparas y multíparas en la erupción de los dientes y sus manifestaciones, así como examinar la ocurrencia de estos hechos a la luz de la documentación pertinente. Método La investigación tuvo un diseño cualitativo descriptivo y 61 madres cuyos bebés habían entre 3 y 12 meses de edad fueron estudiadas. Sus hijos eran pacientes del Hospital de Pediatría de la Universidad Federal de Rio Grande do Norte, en la ciudad de Natal, RN, Brasil. Para recoger los datos, se utilizó una entrevista semi-estructurada. El ALCESTE 4.5 fue utilizado para analizar los datos basados en las primíparas y multíparas madres como variables. El primero se utilizó para las madres que lleven a un niño por primera vez y multíparas que los cuales habían nacido más de un niño. Resultados La sintomatología fue referida por 75 por ciento de las madres entrevistadas. La percepción de las madres de ambos grupos probablemente señala desconocimiento del desarrollo del niño y el proceso converge a la presencia de síntomas clínicos debido a la erupción del diente. Sin embargo, la gran diferencia está en la forma de recoger esta realidad. Madres de un niño afirmaron claramente que el conocimiento fue adquirido por el sentido común, mientras que las madres de más de un niño se reproducen en este mismo conocimiento de acuerdo con la experiencia basada en los niños mayores. Discusión Se concluyó que durante esta fase de la erupción de los dientes, los profesionales deben tener una postura firme definida, basados por la literatura, la relación directa entre la erupción de los dientes y los síntomas generales, prestando atención a cada paciente y sus quejas, para así desmitificar y comprender mejor este proceso en su totalidad.