Prevalence and severity of non-carious cervical lesions and dentin hypersensitivity: association with oral-health related quality of life among Brazilian adults

OBJECTIVES: To assess the association between dentin hypersensitivity (DH) (with or without non-carious cervical lesions (NCCL)) and physical and psychosocial oral health impact. METHODS: A cross-sectional population-based study with one-stage random sample of adults living in a Brazilian municipally was conducted between 2018 and 2019. Interviews and oral examinations were performed by calibrated examiners (Kappa ≥0.7). The participant was considered as having physical and psychosocial impact if at least one item of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) was experienced fairly often or very often. NCCL was assessed by the Tooth Wear Index (codes 2 to 4) and DH was evaluated by a tactile test with a probe in the cervical area of teeth. The combination of these clinical variables resulted in categories of the independent variable: without DH or NCCL, NCCL without DH, DH without NCCL, and both DH with NCCL. The covariables were sociodemographic and economic factors, health habits, and oral conditions. Associations were investigated by Poisson Regression models using Direct Acyclic Graph (Stata 17). RESULTS: Of 197 adults, 59.3% had oral health impact and 31.3% had DH with NCCL. Higher frequency of oral health impact was observed in adults with DH alone. A higher impact on the physical pain dimension of the OHIP-14 was observed in adults with DH and NCCL (PR: 2.46; 95% CI: 1.21–5.00) and with DH alone (PR: 2.03; 95% CI: 1.21–3.41). CONCLUSION: NCCL and DH are common conditions in adults and the presence of DH is associated with higher oral health impact. Regardless the presence of NCCL, DH is associated with the physical pain dimension of OHRQoL.