Abordagem sócioeconômica como possível fator predisponente para o desenvolvimento de defeitos de esmalte dentário

Abstract

Introduction: The socioeconomic inequality is a hallmark of the Brazilian context, influencing the situation of systemic and oral health. Oral diseases are highly prevalent and are considered public health problems. The literature on oral health inequalities offers convincing evidence that the poor usually have worse dental health than wealthier groups. Objective: Evaluate the socioeconomic interference in the onset of developmental defects of enamel, associating them with sex, education level and family income. Material and method: The sample consisted of 740 participants, whose teeth were examined by researchers. We used the modified Index of Development Defects of Enamel proposed by the World Health Organization. Participants or their guardians answered a questionnaire about conditions of income, education, pregnancy, childbirth and eating habits. Data were tabulated and associations were verified by chi-square test and Odds Ratio. Result: It was identified a prevalence of 31.08% of individuals with higher levels in the group with income > 4 wages and for those with income between 1- 4 wages, only 0.81%. The presence of spots for the lower income group was more significant for males (p = 0.04) and the lesion type most associated between the individuals in this group was diffuse opacity, with 20.05%. Conclusion: The socioeconomic factor positively influenced the level of education and low family income is related to a greater predisposition for spots in males. The hypomaturation and demarcated opacity, according to the chi-square, did not obtained a significant probability, as in what concerns to family income. Access to knowledge or information concerning the predisposing factors to DDE was compromised by the type of study.