DENTAL CARIES AND GINGIVITIS PREVALENCE: RISK FACTOR ANALYSIS IN INSTITUTIONALIZED CHILDREN

Resumo

It was evaluated the prevalence and related risk factors of caries and gingivitis in
children from a day-care center. We examined 228 children ranging from 1 to 5 years of age. In
the first group (116 subjects 12 to 42 months of age), the dmft index was applied. In the second
group (112 children 43 to 71 months of age), the dmft and gingival status were evaluated. A dmft
of 0 was found in 92 children from group 1, and the average was 0.7. The second group showed a
dmft index of 0 in 46 children and an average of 2. The average prevalence of gingivitis was
71.3%: 4.5% showed a maximum of 50% of teeth affected, 48.2% showed 51% to 70% of teeth
affected, 44.6% showed 71% to 90% of teeth affected, and 2.7% showed more than 90% of teeth
affected by gingival bleeding. Dental plaque was observed in 100% of the subjects. Roughly
89.3% showed very poor oral hygiene. Of all risk factors analyzed, a sweet diet during sleep was
the main cause for changes in the dmft index. The prevalence of diseases is high. More educational
procedures must be established in order to minimize these conditions.

DESCRIPTORS - Dental caries; Gingivitis; Epidemiology.