Table 1 Demographic, socioeconomic and oral health characteristics of university students distributed by investigated outcome.

Predisposing factors

Socio-demographic characteristics

Age group

 18 and 19 years old

70

75.3

283

73.7

190

74.5

163

73.4

 20 years old and over

23

24.7

101

26.3

65

25.5

59

26.6

Self-reported skin color

 Black or brown

38

40.9

131

34.1

94

36.9

75

33.8

 White

55

59.1

253

65.9

161

63.1

147

66.2

Gender

 Cisgender woman

52

55.9

267

69.5

174

68.2

145

65.3

 Cisgender man

37

39.8

113

29.4

76

29.8

74

33.3

 Transgender, agender or nonbinary

4

4.3

4

1

5

2

3

1.4

Marital status

 Single

92

98.9

380

99

251

98.4

221

99.5

 Married/Common-law marriage

1

1.1

4

1

4

1.6

1

0.5

Father’s level of education

 Did not study/Did not finish elementary school

22

25.6

66

17.6

55

22.4

31

15.2

 Elementary school/Did not finish high school

9

10.5

48

12.8

36

14.7

21

9.7

 High school degree/Did not finish undergrad degree

39

45.3

138

36.7

98

40

79

36.4

 University degree/Graduate degree

16

18.6

124

33

56

22.9

84

38.7

Mother’s level of education

 Did not study/Did not finish elementary school

14

15.2

42

11

36

14.2

20

9

 Elementary school/Did not finish high school

11

12

33

8.6

28

11

16

7.2

 High school degree/Did not finish undergrad degree

34

37

128

33.4

87

34.3

75

33.9

 University degree/Graduate degree

33

35.9

180

47

103

40.6

110

49.8

Living situation before starting University

 Alone/With friends/With partner

4

4.3

12

3.1

11

4.3

5

2.3

 With family

89

95.7

372

96.9

244

95.7

217

97.7

Type of high school institution

 Public

58

62.4

189

49.2

145

56.9

102

45.9

 Private

35

37.6

195

50.8

110

43.1

120

54.1

Admitted to UFJF through affirmative actions

 Yes

47

50.5

158

41.1

118

46.3

87

39.2

 No

46

49.5

226

58.9

137

53.7

135

60.8

Health beliefs and behaviors

Area of study

 Biological Sciences/Health Sciences

33

35.5

177

46.1

92

36.1

118

53.2

 Exact and Earth Sciences/Engineering/Agricultural Sciences/Human Sciences/Applied Social Sciences/Linguistics, Letters and Arts

60

64.5

207

53.9

163

63.9

104

46.8

Fear of dental treatments

 Yes

18

19.4

75

19.5

64

25.1

29

13.1

 No

75

80.6

309

80.5

191

74.9

193

86.9

Reason for last dental appointment in the last 2 years

 Symptomatic

12

57.1

85

22.1

76

39.6

21

9.9

 Prevention

9

42.9

299

77.9

116

60.4

192

90.1

Use of dental services in childhood

 No

52

55.9

155

40.4

137

53.7

70

31.5

 Yes

41

44.1

229

59.6

118

46.3

152

68.5

Enabling Factors

Monthly family income

 Up to 1.5 minimum wage

29

31.2

72

18.8

66

25.9

35

15.8

 From 1.5 to 3 minimum wages

28

30.1

97

25.3

72

28.2

53

23.9

 From 3 to 6 minimum wages

21

22.6

121

31.5

72

28.2

70

31.5

 Over 6 minimum wages

15

16.1

94

24.5

45

17.6

64

28.8

Job status

 Working

19

20.4

68

17.7

50

19.6

37

16.7

 Not working

74

79.6

316

82.3

205

80.4

185

83.3

Has received guidance on oral health promotion from a professional

 No

9

9.7

24

6.2

21

8.2

12

5.4

 Yes

84

90.3

360

93.8

234

91.8

210

94.6

Type of service used in last dental appointment

 Public

33

36.3

32

8.3

42

16.6

23

10.4

 Private

58

63.7

352

91.7

211

83.4

199

89.6

Status at last dental appointment

 Very bad/Bad/Regular

16

17.2

22

5.7

30

11.8

8

3.6

 Very good/Good

77

82.8

362

94.3

225

88.2

214

96.4

Need factors

Self-perceived oral health

 Bad/Regular

24

25.8

34

8.9

47

18.4

11

5

 Excellent/Good/Very good

69

74.2

350

91.1

208

81.6

211

95

Satisfaction with appearance of teeth and mouth

 Very unhappy/Unhappy/Neither happy nor unhappy

51

54.8

152

39.6

124

48.6

79

35.6

 Very happy/Happy

42

45.2

232

60.4

131

51.4

143

64.4

Toothaches over the last 2 years

 Yes

37

39.8

170

44.3

133

52.2

74

33.3

 No

56

60.2

214

55.7

122

47.8

148

66.7

Self-perceived need for dental treatment

 Yes

71

76.3

212

55.2

168

65.9

115

51.8

 No

22

23.7

172

44.8

87

34.1

107

48.2