High Prevalence of Self-Reported Dentin Hypersensitivity and its Associated Factors in Peruvian University Students

Corrales-Mattos-Simão , Carolina; Castro-Núñez , Gabriela M.; Portilla-Miranda , Serey D.; Moya-de-Calderón , Zaida; Kuga, Milton C.; Escalante-Otárola, Wilfredo G.

doi:10.15517/evntr522

Authors

Carolina Corrales-Mattos-Simão School of Dentistry, Universidad Catolica de Santa Maria - UCSM, Arequipa, Peru. Author https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4933-1997
Gabriela M. Castro-Núñez School of Dentistry, Universidad Catolica de Santa Maria - UCSM, Arequipa, Peru. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2586-541X
Serey D. Portilla-Miranda School of Dentistry, Universidad Catolica de Santa Maria - UCSM, Arequipa, Peru. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1403-715X
Zaida Moya-de-Calderón School of Dentistry, Universidad Catolica de Santa Maria - UCSM, Arequipa, Peru. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2742-5255
Milton C. Kuga Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Araraquara, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, SP, Brazil. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5728-8293
Wilfredo G. Escalante-Otárola School of Dentistry, Universidad Catolica de Santa Maria - UCSM, Arequipa, Peru. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4879-3938

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15517/evntr522

Keywords:

Tooth sensitivity; Students; Risk factors; Prevalence; Cross-sectional studies.

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of self-reported dentin hypersensitivity and its association with sociodemographic, clinical, dental, dietary, and lifestyle factors among Peruvian university students. An observational, cross-sectional, and analytical design was applied to a sample of 600 students who completed a validated, self-administered digital questionnaire with 37 items distributed across five dimensions, plus a section on dentin hypersensitivity. The outcome variable was self-reported tooth sensitivity, defined as pain in response to thermal, mechanical, or chemical stimuli, acknowledging the inherent limitations of self-reported data. The overall prevalence was 68.5%, and 39.4% of participants reported sensitivity to two or more stimuli. In bivariate analyses, hypersensitivity was significantly associated with gastric acidity, dry mouth, and frequent consumption of acidic foods, whereas snoring and orthodontic treatment showed marginal trends. In multivariable logistic regression, gastric acidity (OR = 1.86; 95% CI: 1.26-2.73), dry mouth (OR=2.16; 95% CI: 1.37-3.42), and snoring (OR=1.65; 95% CI: 1.02-2.68) remained independent associated factors. The final model exhibited good overall fit and high sensitivity, though low specificity, with a moderate discriminative capacity (AUC=0.668). In conclusion, self-reported dentin hypersensitivity among university students showed a high prevalence, mainly associated with gastric acidity, dry mouth, and snoring, with additional trends related to orthodontic treatment and frequent intake of acidic foods, and the findings should be interpreted considering the limitations of self-reported measurements.

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