Pathways between verbal bullying and oral conditions among school children.

PURPOSE: To investigate the direct and indirect pathways between verbal bullying and adverse oral conditions among school-aged children. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 8- to 10-year-old children, enrolled in public schools in Southern Brazil. Verbal bullying was collected by self-reports. Independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age, household income, and caregivers' educational level) and oral conditions (anterior open bite, anterior teeth crowding, upper anterior diastema, large overjet, untreated dental caries, and PUFA index). The pathways between verbal bullying and the independent variables were analysed through structural equation modelling. RESULTS: 1369 children were included. The prevalence of verbal bullying was 26.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 23.9-28.6%). Verbal bullying was directly influenced by large overjet (standard coefficient [SC] 0.13, P < 0.01), untreated dental caries (SC 0.63, P = 0.01) and PUFA index (SC 0.75, P = 0.02). Sex (SC - 0.005, P = .04) and age (SC - 0.006, P < 0.01) indirectly influenced verbal bullying via untreated dental caries. CONCLUSIONS: Verbal bullying was directly influenced by large overjet, untreated dental caries and PUFA index. Sex and age indirectly impacted verbal bullying through untreated dental caries.

Premature loss of primary molars: impact on the oral health-related quality of life of schoolchildren.

PURPOSE: Evaluate the impact of the premature loss of primary molars due to caries on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in schoolchildren. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with children eight to ten years of age at public schools in the city of Florianópolis selected through cluster sampling. The collection of the clinical data occurred in the school setting by four trained and calibrated examiners (Kappa > 0.7) DMFT/dmft index, PUFA/pufa index, accentuated overjet, and anterior open bite. Sex and age of the child and guardian's schooling (classified as ≤ 8 or > 8 years) were collected through a questionnaire answered by the guardians. OHRQoL was assessed using the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 8-10. The data were submitted to bivariate, multivariate, and hierarchical Poisson analyses. RESULTS: A total of 1456 children participated in the study. The prevalence of premature tooth loss due to caries was 5.8% (n = 85). The prevalence of negative impact on OHRQoL was 47.4% (n = 691). Negative impact on OHRQoL was significantly associated with the premature loss of primary molars (p < 0.001) as well as the sex (girls), guardian's schooling (> 8 years) and the presence of untreated caries (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The premature loss of primary molars due to caries was associated a negative impact on the OHRQoL of children eight to ten years of age. Negative impact is also associated with untreated caries, sex, and the level of schooling of guardians.