OBJECTIVES: identify the association between family dysfunction related to the presence of alcoholism in the family and/or maternal depression symptoms and dental cavities/caries in children from two to three years old. METHODS: population comprised of 74 families in Salvador, Bahia. Data collection consisted of the cli-nical examination of the children and interviews of their mothers at home. Criteria of the World Health Organization were used to diagnose dental cavities/caries followed by disease prevalence classification. To identify symptoms of maternal depression and/or alcoholism in the family the Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20) was used as well as the adapted CAGE scale, respectively. Descriptive analysis and adjusted prevalence ratio for confusion variables were estimated through non-conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: population's social and economic profile was homogenous. Caries/cavities in children prevalence was of 20.2%. A positive association between family dysfunction and caries was determined (PAgross= 3.06; 95%CI: 1.07-8.75). When this model was adjusted through confusion co-variables, family leadership and maternal job situation in the last two years, an increment of the association was noted (PAadjusted= 7.35; 95%CI: 1.50-36.07). CONCLUIONS: an association between family dysfunction and dental caries in small children is suggested.
Dental caries; Social adjustment; Epidemiology; Child
