ECC Status, CRAFT Categorization and OHRQoL Assessment in 3-6-year-old Children: A Cross-sectional Study

Early Childhood Caries (ECC) can affect the health and quality of life of the children. Assessing a patient's risk of developing caries is an important aspect of caries management; however, can assessing the caries risk predict the impact of ECC on the OHRQoL? Few Indian studies have reported association between caries status, risk, and the impact on OHRQoL.

To assess the association between dental caries status, risk assessment, and OHRQoL in 3-6-year-old children.

A total of 50 healthy children were recruited in a cross-sectional study. Parents filled the ECOHIS questionnaire. Caries status, risk, and OHRQoL were measured as dmft-pufa, CRAFT (Caries Risk Assessment for Treatment- an indigenous tool) and ECOHIS scores, respectively.

Moderate correlation was seen between dmft and ECOHIS scores (r = 0.496, p < 0.01), and pufa and ECOHIS scores (r = 0.408, p < 0.05). More number of subjects with higher scores of ECOHIS were in the high-risk category of CRAFT (p < 0.05).

Caries status, risk and OHRQoL were associated in 3-6-year-old children. Thus, caries risk assessment may predict poor OHRQoL.

Iyer CR, Jawdekar AM. ECC Status, CRAFT Categorization and OHRQoL Assessment in 3-6-year-old Children: A Cross-sectional Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16(2):199-204.