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Relationship between rates of attending religious services and oral health in Brazilian adolescents
Author(s) -
Jordão Lidia M. R.,
Saraiva Laís M.,
Sheiham Aubrey,
Freire Maria C. M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1111/cdoe.12098
Subject(s) - medicine , attendance , oral hygiene , poisson regression , oral health , oral health care , family medicine , dental care , social class , cross sectional study , dentistry , environmental health , population , pathology , political science , law , economics , economic growth
Objectives To determine whether there is a relationship between rates of attending religious services and oral health and oral health‐related behaviors in Brazilian adolescents. Methods A cross‐sectional study was carried out using clinical examinations and self‐applied questionnaires. Sample was 664 15‐year‐old schoolchildren from public and private schools in the city of Goiânia‐GO, Middle‐West Brazil. Dependent variables were dental caries (DMFT and DMFS), periodontal condition (Plaque Index and bleeding on probing), perceived importance given to the care of the teeth and oral health‐related behaviors (sugar consumption, oral hygiene and pattern of dental attendance). Independent explanatory variable was frequency of attending religious services. Poisson log‐linear regressions were used for statistical analysis of the data. Results Oral health status was not associated with attending religious services. Attending religious services was positively associated with oral health behaviors such as pattern of dental attendance for dental checkups and to the importance given to the care of the teeth. These associations remained statistically significant after controlling for sex and social class ( P < 0.05). Conclusions Adolescents' frequency of attending religious services is not associated with their oral health status but is positively related to pattern of dental attendance and perceived importance of care of their teeth.