Some dental health determinants in families of a Doctor’s Office from “Aquiles Espinosa” Polyclinic

Abstract

Background: oral health is conditioned by health determinants. With the opening of dental attention from primary health care it is possible to dynamically observe specific groups of people and establish the influence of those determinants in community groups.

Objective: to describe some dental health determinants, in families of Doctor’s Office No. 16 of the dental clinic from ‘‘Aquiles Espinosa’’ Polyclinic of Las Tunas municipality, from September, 2015 to January, 2016.

Methods: a descriptive study was carried out with a sample of 20 families having a whole of 67 inhabitants that belong to the health area of the polyclinic during the period herein mentioned. The variables explored included age, sex, non-transmissible chronic diseases and negative habits. The results were processed following a descriptive statistics and were expressed in whole and percentage numbers.

Results: out of the sample 40 belonged to the female sex representing 59,7 %, and the 35 to 59 age group prevailed with 26 persons representing 38,8 %. 27 cases with hypertension were found, representing 40,29 %. From a dentistry point of view the prevailing negative habit was a deficient oral hygiene in 18 persons, as well as dental caries in 31 patients. Masticatory dysfunction was present in 31 patients for 46,26 %.

Conclusions: some health determinants were described in the study population where there was a prevalence of hypertension as a history of chronic disease, a deficient oral hygiene, dental caries and masticatory dysfunction.