Association Between Oral Hygiene and Gingival Abrasion in a Rural Population in Southern Brazil: A Multilevel Secondary Analysis

Aim: To evaluate associations between oral hygiene and gingival abrasion (GA) in a rural population from southern Brazil. Materials and Methods: A population-based sample representative of individuals from a rural community in southern Brazil was included. Individuals aged 15 years or older and who had five teeth or more present were selected for this analysis. GA extent was defined as the total number of abrasions per individual. An adjusted multilevel negative binomial regression analysis was used to investigate the associations between site-, tooth- and individual-level variables and GA. Mean ratios (MR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. Results: Five hundred ninety-five dentate individuals aged 15-82 years were analysed. In the adjusted models, brushing more than twice a day (MR = 1.13; 95% CI 1.02-1.26) and brushing with a hard/medium-bristle toothbrush (MR = 1.11; 95% CI 1.01-1.23) were significantly associated with more generalized GA. Conclusions: The extent of GA was independently associated with greater brushing frequency and the use of a toothbrush with harder bristles in residents of a rural area.