The Impact of Dental Pain due to Caries in the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life of Children.

Purpose: To determine the extent to which history of dental pain explains the impact of dental caries on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among pre-schoolers.
Methods: A population-based study was conducted with a random sample of 769 five-year-old children. Preschoolers self-completed the Brazilian version of the Scale of Oral Health Outcomes for Five-Year-Old Children (SOHO-5), and caregivers completed a questionnaire addressing sociodemographic characteristics. Children had a dental/oral examination done by dentists. The effect of cavitated caries lesions on OHRQoL explained by pain was estimated by the percentage variation of the prevalence ratio (PR) for the impact of cavitated lesions on OHRQoL (PRc), and this measure was adjusted by dental pain (PRct). PR was determined through multiple Poisson regression (P <0.05).
Results: The prevalence of cavitated lesions was 58.8 percent; among this cohort, 23.8 percent reported dental pain. The PRc was 1.063 and PRct was 1.039. Thirty-eight percent of the impact of dental caries on OHRQoL was due to dental pain.
Conclusion: History of dental pain explains 38 percent of the impact of dental caries on the OHRQoL of preschoolers.

Sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with dental caries in preschool children: Analysis using a decision tree.

BACKGROUND: Untreated dental caries can result a negative impact on oral health-related quality of life. AIMS: The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of dental caries and associated factors in children enrolled in public preschools in the city of Recife, Brazil. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted with a representative random sample of 556 children aged 3-5 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected through clinical examinations using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System. The parents answered a questionnaire addressing sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. Two examiners underwent training and calibration exercise for the calculation of interexaminer agreement (Kappa index of 0.83). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: In addition to descriptive data, an inductive decision tree was constructed to analyze the results (Algorithm J48; α = 5%). RESULTS: The prevalence of dental caries was 92.1%. The following factors were associated with dental caries: brushing performed by the child (prevalence ratio [PR] = 4.39, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.57-7.51 P < 0.001), household income less than the minimum wage (PR = 1.79; 95% CI: 1.18-2.72, P = 0.005), brushing frequency (PR = 1.50; CI 95%: 0.50-4.49; P = 0.001), and parent's/caregiver's school equal to an incomplete elementary school education (PR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.56-1.74, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of dental caries in children was high and was associated with brushing performed by the child, household income less than the monthly minimum wage, low brushing frequency, and low parent's/caregiver's schooling.

Perception of parents and self-reports of children regarding the impact of traumatic dental injury on quality of life.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Traumatic dental injuries occur frequently among young children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of traumatic dental injuries on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in preschool children using the Scale of Oral Health Outcomes for 5-year-old children (SOHO-5). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study involved 769 five-year-old children enrolled at public and private preschools. Two examiners underwent a training process which involved the determination of interexaminer and intra-examiner agreement (Kappa statistic) for all clinical conditions (K > 0.82). Descriptive statistics were performed, followed by Poisson regression analysis (α = 5%). RESULTS: The prevalence of the impact of oral problems on OHRQoL was 32.9% and 42.2% according to the parents/caregivers and children, respectively. Based on the children's self-reports, the occurrence of two or more injured teeth (PR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.04-1.64), toothache (PR = 1.68; 95% CI: 1.35-2.09), and a low level of parent's schooling (PR = 1.54; 95% CI: 1.24-1.91) exerted impacts on OHRQoL. For the reports of parents/caregivers, the occurrence of non-complicated TDI (PR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.44-0.98), toothache (PR = 8.03; 95% CI: 5.92-10.88), and a low level of parent's schooling (PR = 1.60; 95% CI: 1.17-2.17) remained associated with the final model. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of oral problems on the OHRQoL of the preschool children was high. A greater number of injured teeth, the presence of toothache, and socioeconomic factors were associated with poorer OHRQoL, based on the reports of both the parents/caregivers and the children. The occurrence of non-complicated TDI was a protective factor for OHRQoL.