Background: To examine the role of dental pain, sense of coherence (SOC) and social support on the relationship between dental caries and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in children aged 12 years. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 400 schoolchildren selected from public schools in a socioeconomically disadvantaged region in the city of Manaus, Brazil was carried out. The predictors of OHRQoL were selected according to the Wilson and Cleary theoretical model, including number of decayed teeth and its clinical consequence (component D of the DMFT index and PUFA/pufa index), dental pain (symptom status), and SOC and social support (individual and environmental characteristics). Statistical analysis was conducted through structural equation modelling and multivariable negative binomial regression. The significance level established for all analyses was 5%. Results: Number of dental caries was indirectly linked with OHRQoL (β = 0.19, 95% CI 0.11/0.29) through dental pain, SOC and social support. Clinical consequences of untreated caries directly predicted poor OHRQoL (β = 0.12, 95% CI 0.01/0.23). Dental pain, SOC and social support did not moderate the effect of dental caries measures on OHRQoL. Conclusion: Our findings suggest the role of dental pain, SOC and social support as mediator factors on the link between dental caries and OHRQoL. Tackling dental caries along with psychosocial factors may attenuated the impact of oral health on OHRQoL in children.

This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). A representative sample of 613 community-dwelling elderly people aged from 65 to 74 years was selected. Sociodemographic data, GOHAI and self-perceived oral health measures were collected. Dental clinical measures were obtained through oral examinations. The dimensional structure and adequacy of components were assessed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), inter-item correlations and item–scale correlations. Reliability was evaluated by internal consistency and Intraclass Correlation Coefficients. Correlations between GOHAI scores and self-reported oral health measures were conducted to assess convergent validity. The relationship between dental clinical measures and GOHAI was tested through Poisson Regression to examine discriminant validity. The link between GOHAI items and dimensions was supported by CFA. Item 12 showed a poor factor loading. The inter-item correlations varied from 0.047 to 0.442, and item–scale correlations ranged from 0.305 to 0.612. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.704. The test–retest correlation for GOHAI was 0.882. GOHAI scores were correlated by self-rated oral health measures. Poor dental clinical measures were associated with GOHAI. The Brazilian version of GOHAI showed adequate psychometric properties. However, the weak dimensional structure of GOHAI suggests the need to perform cross-cultural adaptation of GOHAI for Brazilian elderly people.

Background: To investigate the influence of change on sense of coherence (SOC) on dental services use in adolescents over a two-year period. Methods: A prospective follow-up study was conducted involving 334 12-year-old adolescents from public schools in the city of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. The predictors of use of dental services in the last 12 months were selected according to the Andersen’s behavioural theoretical model. The predisposing factors included sex, self-reported skin colour and SOC. The enabling factors were dental insurance, monthly family income and parents/guardians schooling. Dental pain, perceived oral health status, dental caries and gingival status were used to assess need factors. Multivariable Poisson regression with robust variance was used to estimate incidence-rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals between the independent variables and use of dental services. Results: Adolescent’s SOC scores decreased significantly between baseline and one-year follow-up. SOC decline decreased the likelihood of using dental services in the last 12 months (IRR = 0.96 95%CI 0.92–0.99). Dental caries (IRR = 1.03 95%CI 1.01–1.04) and gingival bleeding (IRR = 1.01 95%CI 1.01–1.02) remained associated with use of dental services in the last 12 months. Adolescents with dental pain were more likely to have visited a dentist in the last year (IRR = 1.03, 95%CI 1.01–1.06). Conclusion: SOC decrease over one-year period was a meaningful factor of dental services use among 12-year-old adolescents. Dental pain and clinical conditions were also relevant factors that can influence use of dental services in this group.

Objective. Evaluate the spatial distribution of health services in primary care according to the characteristics of social vulnerability in the city of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.Methods. Selection of the census tracts that compose each human development unit was performed, creating a geographic database. Indicators were selected for each territorial unit and two constructs of social vulnerability were predicted using principal component analysis: one crude and other weighted by the population size. Four maps were created showing quintiles distribution of the constructs, with an overlap of spatial distribution of the coverage area of the family health and oral health teams. The descriptive analyzes of each map were performed.Results. 62.1% of the territories of the existing family health teams and 74.2% of the oral health teams were located in areas of greater social vulnerability, represented by the two worst construct quintiles. However, when considering the resident population, an increase of the teams coverage in areas of lower weighted vulnerability was observed.Conclusion. Despite low coverage the health teams were concentrated on areas of greater social vulnerability. Considering the population distribution of the municipality would allow an even more equitable distribution of health teams regarding organizational accessibility once it is expected that an equitable geographical distribution minimize barriers to access and improve the health conditions and quality of life of the population. The differences in levels of social vulnerability must be considered when making health policies, especially in places where the healthcare territorial coverage is low.