Public Health and Epidemiology: Open Access
Enamel Developmental Defects and Associated Factors in Childhood in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, 2022-2023
Abstract
Rodrigo Caldas Luedy, Maria Cristina Teixeira Cangussu, Caroline Louise Sampaio Pinheiro, Amanda Araujo de Carvalho, Tatiana Frederico de Almeida
Objective: To analyze the occurrence of enamel developmental defects (EDD) and associated factors in the post- COVID-19 pandemic context in preschoolers from Salvador-BA who attended public daycare centers.
Methodology: Cross- sectional epidemiological study that investigated the prevalence and types of EDD in preschool children (02 to 05 years old), and associated psychosocial, behavioral and other oral health factors, in the years 2022 and 2023. Descriptive and exploratory analyses were carried out, using the Chi Square test to analyze associations, with a significance level of 5%.
Results: 440 preschoolers took part; the prevalence of EDD was 11.36%. In the bivariate analysis, the covariates aggression during the pandemic (p-value: 0.054), lack of brushing supervision (p-value: 0.028) and enamel caries (p-value: 0.019) were associated with EDD.
Conclusions: EDD affected children at an early age and were associated with psychosocial and behavioral aspects and with early childhood caries. Healthpromotion strategies, including public policies to reduce psychosocial problems in our environment, as well as specific programs to prevent and control oral problems need to be planned more effectively in the country, including improving the diagnosis of EDD, which can contribute to an increased risk of childhood caries.