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Odontoestomatología

Print version ISSN 0797-0374On-line version ISSN 1688-9339

Abstract

SOSA TORICES, Silvia et al. Impact of the number of periodic dental checkups on oral health at a university pediatric dentistry clinic. Odontoestomatología [online]. 2021, vol.23, n.38, e209.  Epub Sep 30, 2021. ISSN 0797-0374.  https://doi.org/10.22592/ode2021n37e209.

The Pediatric Dentistry Clinic at the School of Dentistry, Universidad de la República, has a care model that focuses on promotion, health education and rehabilitation, and aims to support health control and maintenance. There is no information on the impact of periodic checkups.

Objective:

To evaluate the association between the number of checkups and oral health in children aged between 5 and 10. Cross-sectional, descriptive (2017-18) and retrospective (up to 2014) study in two subpopulations: G1 = checkups, and G2 = first visit. We evaluated the differences in the number of teeth affected.

Results:

The sample included 115 children: 44 in G1 and 71 in G2. All of them had biofilm. G1 presented significantly lower values regarding visible plaque index (VPI) (>20%) (p < 0.001) and cavitated lesions (p < 0.001). G1 members, who had attended two or more checkups, had 2.6 initial lesions on average, and G2 members, 4.5 (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Children who had attended two or more checkups had better oral health than those seeking care for the first time. This confirms the importance of scheduled checkups for maintaining oral health.

Keywords : Oral health; care model; health reassessment; dental controls; dental checkups.

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