Influence of zigosity and fetal parameters on dental caries, on the behavior during detal tratament and on quality of life of children: a cohort study in twins

• Grant number: 19/27560-2
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2020
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Pediatric Dentistry
• Principal researcher: Fausto Medeiros Mendes
• Grantee: Julia Gomes Freitas
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia (FO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Twin studies are an excellent experimental model to investigate to oral health factors that could be related to genetics, pre-and perinatal factors and to the environment. Therefore, the aim of the present study will be to evaluate in a cohort of twins, the influence of zigosity and other variables on the behavior during the dental treatment, dental caries, quality of life, improvement of quality of life and success of the dental treatment after 2 years. Thus, a historical cohort study with twins born at the Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina (FM) da Universidade de São Paulo (USP) from 2007 to 2014 will be conducted. For this, a collaboration with researchers from FMUSP and from the Instituto de Psicologia (IP) da USP will be created. These children, currently aged from5 to 12 years old, will be invited to attend initially at the IP, and after, to the Faculdade de Odontologia da USP. Data related to the prenatal, perinatal and zigosity will be gathered from the medical records from the FM. Other demographic, socioeconomic data, as well as data from the childhood will be collected though structured questionnaires applied to the mothers. The pairs of twins initially will have their teeth examined by clinical inspection to evaluate the oral health conditions, and a treatment plan will be elaborated. In the subsequent appointments, dental treatment will be conducted and the children's behavior during the treatment will be assessed. A questionnaire to evaluate the impact of oral health on children's quality of life will be applied at the beginning of the study and one week after the end of the dental treatment. After that, children will be followed-up for two years, and the success of the dental treatment will be evaluated through number of new operative interventions during the follow-up. Multilevel regression analyses (first level related to the subject and the second level related to the pairs of twins) will be performed to investigate the association of all outcome variables with zigosity, data related to the pre- and perinatal, and other variables collected. (AU)