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Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
Published on: December 31, 2017
ORAL HEALTH IMPACT AMONG CHILDREN: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW UPDATE IN 2024
Folake B Lawal1, Mike T John2, Abimbola M Oladayo3
1Department of Periodontology and Community Dentistry, University of Ibadan and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria; Consortium for Advanced Research Training (CARTA), APHRC, Nairobi, Kenya.
Introduction:
The project "Mapping Oral Disease Impact with a Common Metric" (MOM) characterizes the functional, pain-related, aesthetic, and broader psychosocial impacts of oral diseases and conditions using the 4 oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) dimensions: Oral Function, Orofacial Pain, Orofacial Appearance, and Psychosocial Impact. MOM's 4-dimensional oral health impact information in children was provided by Omara et al. in 2021. We aimed to update this information in 2024 by performing a new systematic review.
Methods:
We performed a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines to identify original studies assessing the OHRQoL of children <18 years using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP). OHIP publications were retrieved from 2 sources: (i) articles identified by Omara et al., 2021 (search date: 9 January 2019) and (ii) newly identified articles published from 2019 to 2024 in the following databases: Embase+Embase Classic (via Ovid), CINAHL, APA PsycINFO (via Ovid), Scopus, and Web of Science (Core Collection). Abstracts of 1128 articles were screened. The full-text of 199 articles was reviewed, and 24 articles were included. Their OHIP information was mapped into the 4-dimensional OHRQoL framework.
Results:
Across 3 settings (general population subjects, dental patients, and medical patients) we identified 24 publications. They provided four-dimensional OHRQoL information for 49 populations in 55 samples (N = 8307 study participants). The Orofacial Appearance dimension had the highest impact, while the Psychosocial Impact dimension had the lowest. Functional impact scores were higher than pain-related impact scores. Among dental patients, those with anterior tooth extraction without replacement had the highest impact score within the Orofacial Appearance dimension.
Conclusion:
Children's 4-dimensional oral health impact information in the "Mapping Oral Disease Impact with a Common Metric" (MOM) project was updated in 2024 with a systematic review. The findings for Oral Function, Orofacial Pain, Orofacial Appearance, and Psychosocial Impact in children are aligned with findings in adults using the same 4-dimensional impact measurements.
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