The relationship between dietary pattern and oral health in a poor population living in southern Brazil

Abstract

Objectives: To study the relationship between diet and oral health in 483 residents of the Figueirinha neighborhood, in the city of Xangri-Lá, Rio Grande do Sul. Methods: This transversal, observational and analytic study was carried out through home visits using standard questionnaires and oral exams which registered presence of visible plaque, gum bleeding and number of healthy, filled and decayed teeth. Results: Out of the total number of patients, 58.79% has at least one cavity, 32.71% has at least one filling and 49.27% at least one tooth missing. However, analytically, there were no differences between the types of diet, impeding us from relating these to oral health. Conclusion: Bad oral health conditions were related to many factors, including socio-economic ones. Situations of poverty worsened health conditions.