Determinant Factors of Dental Pain in Preschool Brazilian Children: Three-Year Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Dental pain is a public health problem that exerts a negative impact on the quality of life of children. AIM: To determine the causal factors of dental pain in preschool children. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study was conducted with a random sample of 151 children aged from one to three and their parents/guardians for a period of 3 years in Brazil. Dental pain was investigated using the Brazilian version of the Dental Discomfort Questionnaire (DDQ-B) at baseline and follow-up for the calculation of incidence. The participants were examined clinically for dental caries using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) and traumatic dental injury was investigated using the criteria proposed by Andreasen. Sociodemographic, economic and food consumption characteristics were investigated during baseline and in the three-year follow-up. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and Poisson regression analyses. RESULTS: The incidence of dental pain was 14.6%. The incidence of caries (RR = 3.47; 95% CI: 1.05-11.47) and the absence of dental treatment (RR = 2.81; 95% CI: 1.33-5.97) were associated with a higher incidence of dental pain. CONCLUSION: The incidence of dental caries and the lack of dental treatment recommended at baseline were risk factors for a greater incidence of dental pain in preschool children.