[Influence of social gradient on the oral health of formally employed womenInfluencia do gradiente social na saúde bucal de mulheres trabalhadoras formáis].

Abstract

Introduction: Oral diseases are associated with unfavorable social, material, and socioeconomic conditions. Women's oral health is affected by social aspects, which increase health inequalities when compared to men.

Objective: To evaluate the social gradient's influence on the oral health of working women at a university in Santander, Colombia.

Materials and methods: Analytical cross-sectional observational cross-sectional study involving 84 working women. Sociodemographic variables, oral health condition variables (presence of dental caries, periodontal disease, and edentulism), and social status variables were used to establish relationships. Chi-square test or Fisher's Exact test, Student's t-test or Wilcoxon rank test were used, with a significance a<0.05.

Results: The prevalence of dental caries was 85.7%, periodontal disease 79.8%, and edentulism 40.5%. Age, ethnicity, marital status, educational level, work carried out daily, socioeconomic status, and responsibility for household finances were the social factors most frequently related to oral conditions.

Conclusion: The social gradient did not register statistically significant differences when analyzed with oral diseases. However, it was established that women with a high social status had a lower burden of oral diseases, while women with a low social status had a higher prevalence of dental caries, periodontal disease, and edentulism.