Dental caries, but not malocclusion or developmental defects, negatively impacts preschoolers' quality of life
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Patrícia Corrêa-Faria1, Suzane Paixão-Gonçalves1, Saul Martins Paiva1
1Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Background:
Oral diseases can negatively influence the quality of life causing harm in the development of routine activities, child development and their well-being.
Aim:
To investigate the impact of dental caries, malocclusion and developmental defects of enamel (DDE) on the oral health-related quality of life of preschool children and their parents.
Design:
A cross-sectional study was carried out with 646 children aged 2-6 years in Diamantina, Brazil. Calibrated dental examiners performed the oral examinations. Parents answered the Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (B-ECOHIS) and a questionnaire on socio-economic indicators. Statistical analyses involved the chi-square test and Poisson regression.
Results:
Malocclusion and DDE did not cause a negative impact on the children's quality of life. Children with dental caries (PR: 1.92; 95%CI: 1.56-2.35) and those aged 5 (PR: 1.51; 95%CI: 1.13-2.02) and 6 years (PR: 1.51; 95%CI: 1.02-2.23) were more likely to have a negative quality of life impact on the total B-ECOHIS.
Conclusions:
Dental caries was associated with a negative impact on the quality of life of children. Malocclusion and DDE did not cause a negative impact on the children's quality of life. Older children had higher frequency of negative impact on OHRQoL.
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