Dental erosion in a group of 12- and 16-year-old Brazilian schoolchildren.

PURPOSE: This study's purpose was to assess the prevalence of dental erosion in adolescents and to investigate the association between erosion and sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS: This study consisted of a single center cluster random sample of 414 adolescents (12 and 16 years old) of both genders from private and public schools in Bauru, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Two previously calibrated examiners (kappa=0.85) used the O'Brien (1994) index for assessment of dental erosion on the buccal and palatal surfaces of the permanent maxillary incisors and on the occlusal surfaces of the permanent first molars. Data on gender, type of school, and mean family income were collected by a questionnaire completed by the adolescents. Descriptive statistics were applied to the data, and the associations between erosion and sociodemographic variables were investigated by chi-square test (P<0.05). RESULTS: The prevalence of dental erosion was 20% (N=83), with only enamel being involved (score 1). The labial surface was the most affected (16%). There were no significant differences between the presence of erosion and gender, type of school, and mean family income. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that dental erosion restricted to enamel was observed among adolescents in Bauru/Brazil, and there was no correlation between this condition and sociodemographic factors.