A Life Course Approach to Assessing Causes of Dental Caries Experience: The Relationship between Biological, Behavioural, Socio-Economic and Psychological Conditions and Caries in Adolescents

Abstract

The objective of this study was to further elucidate the relationship between relevant biological, behavioural, socio-economic and psychological conditions, experienced in very early life and along the life course, and dental caries experience using the life course approach. A two-phase study was carried out in Brazil. In the first phase, 652 13-year-olds were clinically examined and interviewed. In the second phase, 330 families were randomly selected for interview to collect information on the teenagers’ early years of life. Clinical assessment included dental caries, periodontal and traumatic dental injury status. The data analysis involved multiple logistic regression analysis. Adolescents born in a non-brick house, those with a low birth weight and those who were the second or later child in the family were statistically significantly more likely to have a high DMF-T. In conclusion, the results of this study show that there is an association between socio-economic and biological factors in very early life and levels of caries in adolescents.

Redução da cárie dentária em adolescentes: distribuição temporal e espacial em 36 municípios do Sul do Brasil 2003 e 2011

“…A Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde afirma que a Atenção Primária é a melhor abordagem para alcançar melhoras sustentáveis e equitativas na saúde dos indivíduos. 22 Considerando-se a natureza cumulativa da cárie, o conhecimento científico e as evidências de que experiências anteriores na vida dos indivíduos impactam seu estado de saúde futuro, 23,24 é necessário planejar ações fundamentadas na realidade local, identificando grupos, regiões e indivíduos sob situações de maior vulnerabilidade.…”

The Importance and Possibilities of Proper Oral Hygiene in Orthodontic Patients

“…Caries risk assessment models involve a combination of factors including diet, fluoride exposure, a susceptible host, microflora which all can interplay with a variety of social, cultural and behavioural factors (Featherstone, 2003;Nicolau et al, 2003).…”

Inequality of Oral Health in a Life-Course Perspective

“…Pearce et al, 2004 studied the effect of birth-weight, early diet, use of comforter and social status on oral health of young adults, but found only effect of social status in the expected direction. Nicolau and co-workers found a relationship between several biological factors and caries among adolescents (Nicolau et al, 2003(Nicolau et al, , 2007. A second line of research assumes biological programming during critical periods of development either during pregnancy or in early life (Barker, 1994).…”