Context: Throughout life, the teeth are exposed to different types of wear, including dental erosion, which is characterized by the loss of surface-mineralized tissue due to a chemical process without bacterial involvement and strongly influenced by eating habits.
Aim: The aim of this study to evaluate the prevalence of dental erosion in schoolchildren and associated factors.
Setting and design: This is a cross-sectional study.
Material and methods: The study was conducted at a public and private school in the city of São Luís (MA), Brazil, involving a sample of 239 children aged 6-10 years. Data were collected through a questionnaire and clinical examination. Dental erosion was evaluated using the Basic Erosive Wear Examination.
Statistical analysis: Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, Pearson's Chi-square test, the linear trend Chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test, with the level of significance set to 5%.
Results: The male sex accounted for 50.2% of the sample and the female sex accounted for 49.8%; 62.8% attended the public school and 37.2% attended the private school. The prevalence of dental erosion was 11.7%, with the highest prevalence among 9-year-olds (46.4%). Dental erosion was significantly associated with age (P = 0.009) and type of school (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: The present findings underscore the need for strategies to prevent or arrest the erosive process through local actions involving schoolchildren, parents/caregivers, and teachers.
Keywords: Child; dental erosion; prevalence; tooth wear.