A study carried out in 163 municipalities showed that disorders such as toothache, bleeding and periodontal disease affect 50,57% of respondents
Oral health problems, especially toothache, bleeding gums and periodontal disease, are a source of discomfort for 50,57% of adults between 35 and 44 years old in the State of São Paulo.
The rate, considered high by experts, was revealed by an epidemiological study carried out by the State Department of Health, with support from FAPESP, in 163 municipalities in São Paulo.
The State Oral Health Survey (SB SP 2015) examined 17.560 people, of which 6.051 were in the 35 to 44 age group. In addition to the clinical dental examination, participants answered a questionnaire about the impacts of oral health on their daily lives.
Based on these data, researchers from the Faculty of Dentistry of Piracicaba at the State University of Campinas (FOP-Unicamp) and the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of São Paulo (FO-USP) analyzed the association of quality of life related to oral health (OIDP , from English Oral Impacts on Daily Performance) with socioeconomic and clinical variables. The results published in an article in the journal PLOS One identify needs and vulnerabilities in the population of São Paulo, and indicated the need for new public policies.
"The result is worrying. The impact of oral health on daily activities is very high in the State of São Paulo, which has a structure of public services in oral health and a GDP greater than that of other Brazilian states. These are problems that are absolutely treatable and which are impacting half of the individuals in this age group", said Antonio Carlos Pereira, professor at FOP-Unicamp and one of the coordinators of the SB SP 2015 survey.
In Brazil, the last study carried out nationally, in 2010, showed that the prevalence of negative impact was 48,1% for adults aged 35 to 44 years.
In another similar study, carried out in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with individuals over 21 years of age, only 16% said they suffered a negative impact on their oral health. A national study in Norway indicated an impact of 19% among those aged 25 to 44 and 17,9% among those aged 15 to 66.
India (50% of individuals between 21 and 24 years old) and Tanzania (51% of individuals aged 26 years old) are countries with a great negative impact of oral health on the daily lives of their inhabitants.
Inequities
Among the main reasons for discomfort found in the study published in PLOS One are relatively simple problems, such as toothache, bleeding and periodontal pockets. This last disease, at an advanced stage, can cause abscess, pain and embarrassment. This is the separation between the gums and the tooth, generating plaque accumulation, which can, in the future, lead to bone and tooth loss.
“In the adult population, pain contributes to absenteeism from work and can affect daily activities, economic production and the work of individuals,” said Giovana Renata Gouvêa, researcher at FOP-Unicamp, professor at Fundação Hermínio Ometto (FHO/Uniararas ) and main author of the article.
By crossing the survey data with socioeconomic information from the interviewees, it was possible to identify the strata of the population most vulnerable to oral health problems. According to the results, female adults, from the black/mulatto ethnic group, with a family income of up to one minimum wage and with up to eight years of schooling are more likely to experience oral impact on daily performance.
According to Gouvêa, the study shows health inequities. “There is evidence in the scientific literature that low income and lower educational levels are associated with worse oral health. In addition, longitudinal studies show that educational level plays a more important role in preventing the emergence of health problems, while income has a greater influence on the course or progression of problems,” he said.
Quality of life indicator
In the article recently published in PLOS One, researchers highlight that oral diseases influence quality of life. “Toothache and tooth loss cause restrictions in function, lead to discomfort and impair food consumption, while periodontal changes, such as bleeding and dental calculus, affect individuals’ appearance, self-esteem and even social relationships”, they state. the researchers in the article.
the quiz Oral Impacts on Daily Performances aimed to investigate oral impacts on the physical, psychological and social aspects of everyday life.
The questionnaire included questions such as “Did you have difficulty eating because of your teeth?” or “Did you feel pain in your teeth when drinking cold or hot liquid?”. The researchers also asked whether, when brushing their teeth, the interviewee felt any discomfort, nervousness or irritation. He was also asked if he had stopped going out, having fun, going to parties or outings because of his teeth.
“The study went beyond the tooth issue and took in the entire context of life (physical, psychological, social), identifying not only pain or illnesses, but emotional constraints and shocks,” he said.
Thus, Gouvêa emphasizes that the questionnaire serves as an indicator of quality of life related to oral health and aimed to measure the significant impacts of oral conditions on the individual's ability to carry out certain daily activities, in physical, psychological and social aspects.
“Knowledge of the oral health conditions of the adult population and its impact on the daily performance of activities is essential to enable the implementation of services and public policies. This advance is particularly important for the study of health inequalities, since the aspects considered in this assessment are not only biological and measurable, but also concern the individual's self-perception”, said Gouvêa.
The article Variables associated with the oral impact on daily performance of adults in the state of São Paulo: A population-based study(doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203777), by Giovana Renata Gouvêa, Jaqueline Vilela Bulgareli, Luciene Luvizotto David, Gláucia Maria Bovi Ambrosano, Karine Laura Cortellazzi, Luciane Miranda Guerra, Antonio Carlos Frias, Marcelo de Castro Meneghim and Antonio Carlos Pereira , can be read at https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0203777.
