Social inequities and dental caries in 5-year-old children: a study with results from SB Brasil 2023

Abstract This study investigated the social inequities related to dental caries, clinical consequences of untreated caries, and the urgency to treat five-year-old children in Brazil. It is a cross-sectional study that used data from SB Brasil 2023 (n = 7198). The dmft index was used to assess dental...

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Main Authors: Rosa Núbia Vieira de MOURA, Saul Martins de PAIVA, Joana RAMOS-JORGE, Rafaela da Silveira PINTO, João Victor Inglês de LARA, Mariane Carolina Faria BARBOSA, Letícia Silva ALONSO, Andreia Maria Araújo DRUMMOND
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Pesquisa Odontológica 2025-05-01
Series:Brazilian Oral Research
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Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1806-83242025001001501&lng=en&tlng=en
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author Rosa Núbia Vieira de MOURA
Saul Martins de PAIVA
Joana RAMOS-JORGE
Rafaela da Silveira PINTO
João Victor Inglês de LARA
Mariane Carolina Faria BARBOSA
Letícia Silva ALONSO
Andreia Maria Araújo DRUMMOND
author_facet Rosa Núbia Vieira de MOURA
Saul Martins de PAIVA
Joana RAMOS-JORGE
Rafaela da Silveira PINTO
João Victor Inglês de LARA
Mariane Carolina Faria BARBOSA
Letícia Silva ALONSO
Andreia Maria Araújo DRUMMOND
author_sort Rosa Núbia Vieira de MOURA
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study investigated the social inequities related to dental caries, clinical consequences of untreated caries, and the urgency to treat five-year-old children in Brazil. It is a cross-sectional study that used data from SB Brasil 2023 (n = 7198). The dmft index was used to assess dental caries, the pufa index to assess the pulp consequences of untreated caries lesions, and the need for treatment was identified. It included demographic and context variables: sex, color/race, enrollment in social programs, access to water in the household, and use of dental services. Logistic regression models for complex samples were used to estimate gross and adjusted odds ratio (OR), and confidence intervals (95%CI). The prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) was 46.83%, with an average of 2.14 affected teeth, and 41.18% had untreated caries lesions. Non-white children and those enrolled in social programs had higher chances of having dental caries. The clinical consequences were associated with non-white children and with the last use of dental services being more than 3 years ago. Mothers with higher levels of education and the presence of piped water in the household were protective factors. This study highlights the high prevalence and inequities related to ECC in Brazil. Non-white children, beneficiaries of social programs, and those with limited use of dental services were more vulnerable to caries, its clinical consequences, and the urgency of immediate treatment. These results reinforce the importance of public policies to reduce inequalities and expand access to preventive dental care.
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spelling doaj-art-3de830d2e4f64f3992ed2d76284e024e2025-08-20T02:33:12ZengSociedade Brasileira de Pesquisa OdontológicaBrazilian Oral Research1807-31072025-05-0139suppl 110.1590/1807-3107bor-2025.vol39.0046Social inequities and dental caries in 5-year-old children: a study with results from SB Brasil 2023Rosa Núbia Vieira de MOURAhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8947-2797Saul Martins de PAIVAhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3968-1638Joana RAMOS-JORGEhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1906-3784Rafaela da Silveira PINTOhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6169-7708João Victor Inglês de LARAhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7079-246XMariane Carolina Faria BARBOSAhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2870-8364Letícia Silva ALONSOhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9812-5252Andreia Maria Araújo DRUMMONDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4161-5602Abstract This study investigated the social inequities related to dental caries, clinical consequences of untreated caries, and the urgency to treat five-year-old children in Brazil. It is a cross-sectional study that used data from SB Brasil 2023 (n = 7198). The dmft index was used to assess dental caries, the pufa index to assess the pulp consequences of untreated caries lesions, and the need for treatment was identified. It included demographic and context variables: sex, color/race, enrollment in social programs, access to water in the household, and use of dental services. Logistic regression models for complex samples were used to estimate gross and adjusted odds ratio (OR), and confidence intervals (95%CI). The prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) was 46.83%, with an average of 2.14 affected teeth, and 41.18% had untreated caries lesions. Non-white children and those enrolled in social programs had higher chances of having dental caries. The clinical consequences were associated with non-white children and with the last use of dental services being more than 3 years ago. Mothers with higher levels of education and the presence of piped water in the household were protective factors. This study highlights the high prevalence and inequities related to ECC in Brazil. Non-white children, beneficiaries of social programs, and those with limited use of dental services were more vulnerable to caries, its clinical consequences, and the urgency of immediate treatment. These results reinforce the importance of public policies to reduce inequalities and expand access to preventive dental care.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1806-83242025001001501&lng=en&tlng=enChildDental CariesHealth Services ResearchHealth Inequities
spellingShingle Rosa Núbia Vieira de MOURA
Saul Martins de PAIVA
Joana RAMOS-JORGE
Rafaela da Silveira PINTO
João Victor Inglês de LARA
Mariane Carolina Faria BARBOSA
Letícia Silva ALONSO
Andreia Maria Araújo DRUMMOND
Social inequities and dental caries in 5-year-old children: a study with results from SB Brasil 2023
Brazilian Oral Research
Child
Dental Caries
Health Services Research
Health Inequities
title Social inequities and dental caries in 5-year-old children: a study with results from SB Brasil 2023
title_full Social inequities and dental caries in 5-year-old children: a study with results from SB Brasil 2023
title_fullStr Social inequities and dental caries in 5-year-old children: a study with results from SB Brasil 2023
title_full_unstemmed Social inequities and dental caries in 5-year-old children: a study with results from SB Brasil 2023
title_short Social inequities and dental caries in 5-year-old children: a study with results from SB Brasil 2023
title_sort social inequities and dental caries in 5 year old children a study with results from sb brasil 2023
topic Child
Dental Caries
Health Services Research
Health Inequities
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1806-83242025001001501&lng=en&tlng=en
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