Revista Brasileira de Epidemiologia (Dec 2007)
Hábitos de higiene bucal e fatores sociodemográficos em adolescentes Sociodemographic factors associated with oral hygiene habits in Brazilian adolescents
Abstract
OBJETIVO: Investigar os hábitos de higiene bucal de adolescentes e sua relação com o sexo e o nível socioeconômico. MÉTODOS: Foram analisados dados secundários de um estudo transversal utilizando questionários auto-aplicáveis em 664 escolares de 15 anos, selecionados aleatoriamente de escolas públicas e privadas e suas mães, em Goiânia-GO. RESULTADOS: 51,8% da amostra eram do sexo feminino e 48,2% do masculino, 325 (48,9%) pertenciam ao grupo de nível socioeconômico alto e 339 (51,1%) ao nível baixo. Todos os adolescentes afirmaram que limpavam os dentes. Os principais motivos foram relacionados à saúde (73,5%) e limpeza (40,2%). Os motivos foram associados ao sexo (pOBJECTIVE: To investigate the oral hygiene habits of Brazilian adolescents and their relation with gender and socioeconomic status. METHODS: Secondary data analyzed were from a cross-sectional study using self-completion questionnaires among 664 15-year-old schoolchildren randomly selected from public and private schools and their mothers, in Goiânia-GO, Brazil. RESULTS: 51.8% of the sample comprised girls and 48.2% boys; 48.9% were from a high social class and 51.1% from a low social class. All adolescents said they cleaned their teeth. The main reasons were related to health (73.5%) and cleanliness (40.2%). Reasons varied by gender (p<0.001) and socioeconomic status (p<0.05). Most adolescents said they brushed their teeth three times or more a day (77.7%). The most common oral hygiene aids were toothbrush (97.6%), toothpaste (90.5%) and dental floss (69.1%). Females brushed their teeth with higher frequency than males (p=0.001). Main brushing times were after lunch (80.3%), before breakfast (73.5%) and before going to sleep (62.5%). Most adolescents (82.7%) said they did not need to be reminded to brush. Significantly, more males than females said they needed to be reminded (p=0.017). Mothers were the main person to remind them to brush (66.1%) and the person who gave them their first instructions on the importance of teeth cleaning (81.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Brazilian adolescents reported appropriate hygiene habits. Habits were influenced by gender and socioeconomic status.
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