Oral health care in vulnerable school communities in the city of Córdoba

Abstract

Oral health care in vulnerable contexts requires the diagnosis and development of specific strategies which consider those contexts.

The purpose of this study was to diagnose the oral health situation of school children in vulnerable contexts of the city of Córdoba and to identify how they perceive their quality of life linked to oral health.

A descriptive and cross-sectional study of mixed, quantitative and qualitative methodology was carried out in the years 2016-2017. The population were children aged 6-8 years (n: 111) and 10-12 years (n: 88), who had informed consent and assent, of two provincial public schools A and B of vulnerable sectors of the city of Córdoba. The techniques used were: clinical-dental examination, quality of life questionnaire, ethnographic registry, participant observation, and drawings. The data analysis was performed according to the nature of the variables.

Differences in the prevalence of “caries-free children” were observed in the group of 6-8 years. At "A" school it was 25.75% and 6,6% at "B" school, presenting significant differences and greater risk p <0.01 (OR = 4.8). The frequency of malocclusion in school A was 42.22% and in B 60.6%. In the group of 10-12 years no differences were observed. Bullying was expressed in the aesthetic appearance that is linked to the prevalence of malocclusion. As regards oral health and quality of life, it was identified: 60% dental pain, 60% bad state of teeth and 70% bad breath. The analysis of graphic documents showed that 85% of children mean health by focusing on their psychosocial component: family and friends 85%, happiness and love 39%, recreational activities 35%. They recognize sickness as violence, fear and lack of love 65%, viruses, accidents, pollution, poor diet and harmful habits 65%.

Children in the school contexts studied showed a high frequency of problems related to oral health, such as caries and malocclusion affecting the quality of life

The situational oral diagnosis and the perception of their quality of life provide contextualized information to guide the promotion, prevention and intervention in oral health in each community.