Inequalities in oral health: are schoolchildren receiving the Bolsa Família more vulnerable?

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between being a recipient of the Bolsa Família program and oral health conditions in Brazilian schoolchildren. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,107 schoolchildren aged between eight and 12 years from 20 public and private schools in Pelotas, RS, Southern Brazil. A list of all children receiving the Bolsa Família program was provided by the participant schools. Demographic, socioeconomic and oral hygiene information were assessed using a questionnaire completed by the schoolchildren and their parents. Dental exams were performed to assess the presence of dental plaque and prevalence of dental caries. Data were analyzed by Chi-square test, Chi-square test for linear trend and multivariate Poisson Regression (prevalence ratio; 95% confidence interval). RESULTS Schoolchildren from non-nuclear families, with a DMFT ≥ 1 and who had never visited a dentist were associated with receiving the Bolsa Família. Final model showed that caries prevalence was twice as high (PR 2.00; 95%CI 1.47;2.69) in schoolchildren benefiting from the Bolsa Família . It was also showed that schoolchildren benefiting from the program presented greater severity of dental caries compared to school children from private schools (RR 1.53; 95%CI 1.18;2.00). After final adjustments, the prevalence of schoolchildren who have never visited a dentist was six times higher in children who received the government benefit (PR 6.18; 95%CI 3.07;12.45) compared to those from private schools. CONCLUSIONS Schoolchildren benefiting from the Bolsa Família program experienced more caries lesions and have less frequently accessed dental care services, which suggest the need to include oral health in the program.