Untreated dental caries: impact on quality of life of children of low socioeconomic status.
OBJECTIVE
This study's purpose was to evaluate the impact of untreated dental caries on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children of low socioeconomic status.


METHODS
One hundred twelve impoverished 8- to 10-year-olds from a city in southeastern Brazil  were selected. OHRQoL was measured using the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ8-10; total and subscale scores) and its global question on oral health. The clinical examination recorded the prevalence of untreated dental caries (corresponding to a non-zero D or d component in the DMFT or  dmft indices). The children were categorized as without untreated dental caries=0 or with untreated dental caries ≥1. Malocclusions and dental trauma were determined using the Dental Aesthetic Index and Andreasen and Andreasen (1994) classification, respectively. Descriptive analysis, Mann-Whitney,  chi-square test, and hierarchically adjusted Poisson regression models were employed.


RESULTS
Eighty-four children (75%) had 1 or more carious teeth. The relative risk of having a negative perception of oral health was greater among the children with untreated dental caries (RR-1:41;  95% confidence interval=1.13-1.75), regardless of gender or malocclusion.


CONCLUSIONS
Eight- to 10-year-olds with untreated dental caries have a greater relative risk of having a negative perception of oral health status than those without dental caries.
Federal University of Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
P A
PA
Martins-Júnior
M
M
Oliveira
L S
LS
Marques
M L
ML
Ramos-Jorge
D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D011203:Poverty; D011788:Quality of Life; D012923:Social Class