A dental caries preventive program applied to children aged 5 to 8 years attending since the first year of age at the Baby Clinic of the Araçatuba Dental School, Brazil

Abstract

Objective: Tooth decay is one of the more common diseases of childhood. Several studies recommend that early preventive measures must be implemented since the first years of life and continue throughout childhood and adolescence. The aim of the this study was to present results of a preventive dental program considering oral health maintenance, dental caries experience and the prevalence of dental caries relation with follow-up compliance visits. Material end method: Intraoral and interproximal radiographic exams were performed on 171 patients participants of a preventive dental program. Data regarding age, gender, previous caries experience and the frequency at which the patients attended return visits were obtained from the records. The data were analyzed statistically by the McNemar test, with the level of significance set at 1%. Result: Clinical and radiographic examination revealed that most children participating in the program had sound teeth (77.2 and 84.8%, respectively). The past dental history of the dental caries from patients included in this study showed statistical relevance when associated with the present dental caries experience and a statistical relationship was found from the absence of compliance to clinical visits and the dental caries presence. Conclusion: The preventive strategy had a positive influence on oral health maintenance in the children examined. Previous caries experience and the lack of compliance with return visits influenced the clinical oral condition of the children during participation in the preventive program.

Objetivo: Este trabalho avaliou um programa de prevenção aplicado em crianças de 5 a 8 anos de idade considerando como fatores a manutenção da saúde bucal, a relação entre experiência prévia e atual de cárie dentária e relação entre a ocorrência de cárie dentária e a freqüência às consultas de retorno. Material e método: Foram realizados exames clínicos intrabucais e radiografias interproximais em 171 pacientes e a partir de seus prontuários obtivemos informações sobre idade, gênero, a experiência anterior de cárie e freqüência às consultas de retorno. O tratamento estatístico utilizado foi o Teste de McNemar em nível de significância de 1%. Resultado: Os resultados dos exames clínicos e radiográficos mostraram que a maioria das crianças participantes do programa apresentava dentes hígidos (77,2 e 84,8% respectivamente). Conclusão: A estratégia preventiva exerceu influência positiva sobre a manutenção da saúde bucal nas crianças examinadas. A experiência prévia de cárie e a ausência às consultas de retorno influenciaram a condição clínica bucal das crianças durante a participação no programa preventivo.