Association Between Socioeconomic Factors and Dental Erosion in Brazilian Schoolchildren

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate if a higher socioeconomic status is a potential risk factor for dental erosion in 6- to 12-year-old Brazilian schoolchildren. Methods: A sample of 983 children was drawn from 36 schools. A questionnaire was applied to determine socioeconomic background. Clinical exams for dental erosion were carried out by one trained and calibrated examiner considering location, severity, and surface area affected. Chi-square tests and multivariate analysis were carried out. Results:Dental erosion was detected in 196 children (19.9 percent). From this total, 61.8 percent of the lesions were found in the primary dentition and 38.2 percent in the permanent dentition. The palatal surface was the most affected. Higher prevalence was observed in males (P = 0.005). Dental erosion was more prevalent in private school children than in public school children (P = 0.029). Also, dental erosion was prevalent in children from families with higher income (21.3 percent) than in children from low-income families (13.5 percent) without significant difference (P > 0.05). A higher prevalence of erosion was observed in those children whose parents had a high education level (22.7 percent, P = 0.05). Conclusions: The data suggest a high prevalence of dental erosion across this age span. Dental erosion seems to occur most often in primary dentition of boys who attended private schools and whose mothers have a high educational status.