Prevalence and impact of oral pain in 8-year-old children in Sri Lanka.
OBJECTIVE
The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and impact of oral pain in 8-year-old Sri Lankan children and their parents.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study using a multistage cluster sampling technique was carried out in a sample of 614 children attending schools in the Education Division of Badulla, Uva province, Sri Lanka. Data were collected by means of a pre-tested questionnaire that was sent to each of the children and their parents. The children were also given an oral examination. Of the 614 questionnaires which were sent to parents, 30 were not returned and eight had to be excluded from the analysis because the respondents had answered only two questions. Therefore, the present analysis is limited to data from 576 children and their parents.


RESULTS
The lifetime prevalences of oral pain, as reported by the children and parents, were 49% and 53%, respectively. According to the children's report, 25% had experienced oral pain in the past 2 months while 31% of the parents reported that their child had experienced oral pain within the same period. Of those children who reported that they had experienced oral pain in the past 2 months, nearly 45% stated that the pain was severe. In 48%, the pain was triggered when biting. 'Presence of cavity/decayed tooth' was cited as the most common cause of oral pain (67%). Overall, 74% of children had experienced a negative impact as a result of the pain whilst 66% of the parents said that the child's pain had had an impact on them. Ethnic group, parental income and level of education, and the caries experience of the child were significantly associated with the reporting of oral pain in the past 2 months.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of oral pain was high among these children, and had a considerable impact on both the children and their parents.
Ratnayake
N
N
Dental Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Ekanayake
L
L
D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014098:Toothache / Q000453:epidemiology*