Sense of coherence modifies the association between untreated dental caries and dental pain in low-social status women

Evidence of the link between sense of coherence (SOC), dental caries and dental pain is scarce. Objective: To explore the relationship of SOC and dental caries with dental pain prevalence in low-social status women. Basic research design: A cross-sectional study. Participants: A convenience sample of 190 women whose children attended a selected school in Sao Joao de Meriti, Brazil. Method: Socioeconomic, demographic and oral health behaviour data were collected through interviews. SOC was assessed using the Antonovsky scale. Dental caries was evaluated through oral examinations. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to obtain Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI). Main outcome variable: Dental pain in the past 6 months. Results: Dental pain prevalence was 26% (95% CI 20, 33). DMFT and decayed teeth means were 14.3 (SD 7.2) and 2.4 (SD 2.6), respectively. The odds of having dental pain was higher for women with moderate dental caries and low SOC (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.1, 9.3) and women with high caries and low SOC (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.7, 9.5) compared with women with low caries and high SOC. Conclusions: Dental caries and lower SOC were factors associated with dental pain. SOC appeared to buffer the effect of dental caries on dental pain in women from low-socioeconomic status.