Caries dental y calidad de vida de escolares de 6 a 8 años / Dental caries and quality life of schoolchildren aged 6 to 8 years

RESUMEN

Introducción: la caries dental ocasiona dolor y alteración de la salud. La calidad de vida se refiere a la percepción de uno con base en su situación física, emocional y social. Objetivo: analizar la percepción de la calidad de vida en un grupo de escolares con caries. Metodología: 270 escolares de 6-8 años de edad con y sin experiencia de lesiones cariosas contestaron con sus padres un cuestionario basado en la Scale of Oral Health Outcomes (SOHO). Las respuestas se registraron con escala de tipo Likert. Se obtuvieron frecuencias, porcentajes, promedios y desviación estandar. Se compararon los grupos con chi cuadrada y t de Student, y se calculó la razón de momios (RM). Resultados: el 58% presentó experiencia de caries. El 64% de los escolares con caries informó que tenía antecedentes de dolor dentario y la media en los dominios sobre funciones bucales y relación familiar fue mayor para los escolares con caries (p = 0.001). Tener caries fue determinante para presentar dificultades para comer RM 8.7 (intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC 95%] 4.7-16); beber RM 5.9 (IC 95% 3.4-10); dormir RM 5.3 (IC 95% 3.1-9); jugar 5.2 (IC 95% 2.7-10), p < 0.001. Desde la autopercepción del escolar, el 87% manifestó no sentirse contento por la presencia de caries. Conclusiones: la percepción de los escolares y padres del grupo con experiencia de caries dental mostró deterioro en la calidad de vida.

ABSTRACT

Background: Dental caries causes pain and alteration of integral health. Quality of life refers to oneself's perception of their physical, emotional and social situation. Objective: To analyze the perception of quality of life in a group of schoolchildren with caries. Methodology: 270 schoolchildren aged 6-8 years with and without experience of carious lesions, with their parents, answered a questionnaire based on the Scale of Oral Health Outcomes (SOHO). The answers were recorded with a Likert-type scale. Frequencies, percentages, averages and standard deviation were obtained. The groups were compared with chi squared and Student's t test, and odds ratios (OR) were calculated. Results: 58% presented caries experience. 64% of schoolchildren with caries reported antecedents of dental pain, and the mean in the domains on oral functions and family relationship was higher for schoolchildren with caries (p = 0.001). Having caries was determinant for eating difficulties OR 8.7 (95% CI 4.7-16); drink OR 5.9 (95% CI 3.4-10); sleeping OR 5.3 (95% CI 3.1-9); play OR 5.2 (95% CI 2.7-10), p < 0.001. From schoolchildren auto-perception 87% said they did not feel happy about their decayed teeth. Conclusions: The perception of the schoolchildren and parents belonging to the group with experience of dental caries showed deterioration in the quality of life.