Cabrera-González CG, Vásquez-Palacios AC

Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 1-15
PDF size: 304.24 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: tooth brushing is the main hygiene measure to eliminate the biofilm that forms dental plaque, which causes periodontal disease. This condition is one of the main causes of tooth loss. Objective: to identify the association between the number of daily brushings and the Russell periodontal index in an Ecuadorian school population. Methods: an analytical cross-sectional investigation was carried out. Information was collected from 166 12-year-old schoolchildren, from their dental records registered in the database of the Research Department Dentistry Career of the Catholic University of Cuenca. Using descriptive statistics indicators, the following variables were analyzed: sex and frequency of daily brushing, and the correlation between the latter and Russell's periodontal index was estimated. Ethical precepts were met. Results: periodontal disease predominated in female patients (10,50 %). More than half of the schoolchildren (61,21 %) brushed three times a day; 3,03 % did it more than three times. The correlation between brushing frequency and the periodontal index was very low: 0,16 (p >0.05). Conclusions: no correlation was found between the frequency of brushings and Russell's periodontal index. This could be due to the high proportion of students who practiced brushing three or more times a day. However, it is necessary for dentists and teachers to develop oral health prevention and promotion actions with those schoolchildren whose brushing frequencies are lower.