Summary
Adolescents between 12 and 13 years of age suffer social discrimination and low self-esteem because of their physical appearance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of oral manifestations such as dental malposition, gummy smile, halitosis, and bone malformations of the maxillary and jaw, and determine their social impact on adolescents. A descriptive study was performed in secondary school adolescents between 12 and 13 years of age. First, an interview was carried out to identify the impact of oral manifestations as a cause of social discrimination and then clinical examination was performed. It was found that in adolescents, oral manifestations cause social discrimination. Dental malposition was the main cause (81 %), followed by gummy smile (29 %), maxillary and jaw bone malformations (16 %) and halitosis (11 %). Of those interviewed, 90 % expressed having received negative comments about their oral cavity and 81 % referred the need for dental care; 72 % felt discriminated by their classmates and 65 % did not like to speak in public (p <0.005). It was concluded that a relationship exists between oral manifestations and social discrimination in adolescents.
KEY WORDS: odontology, public health, malposition, adolescent, bullying, discrimination.
How to cite this article
MARTÍNEZ, D. A. J.; MARTÍNEZ, G. G. I.; LÓPEZ, V. S. M. & RODRÍGUEZ, L. O. E. Oral manifestations in adolescents and their impact on social discrimination. Int. J. Odontostomat., 10(1):7-10, 2016.
