The impacts of gingivitis and calculus on Thai children's quality of life.
OBJECTIVE
To assess associations of socio-demographic, behavioural and the extent of gingivitis and calculus with oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in nationally representative samples of 12- and 15-year-old Thai children.


METHODS
In the Thailand National Oral Health Survey, 1,063 twelve-year olds and 811 fifteen-year olds were clinically examined and interviewed for OHRQoL using the Child-OIDP and OIDP indices, respectively, and completed a behavioural questionnaire. We assessed associations of condition-specific impacts (CS-impacts) with gingivitis and calculus, adjusted for socio-demographic and behavioural factors.


RESULTS
Gingivitis and calculus were highly prevalent: 79.3% in 12-year and 81.5% in 15-year olds. CS-impacts relating to calculus and/or gingivitis were reported by 26.0% of 12-year and 29.6% of 15-year olds. Except for calculus without gingivitis, calculus and/or gingivitis in any form was significantly related to any level of CS-impacts. At a moderate or higher level of CS-impacts, there were significant relationships with extensive calculus and/or gingivitis in 12-year olds and for extensive gingivitis and gingivitis without calculus in 15-year olds.


CONCLUSIONS
Gingivitis was generally associated with any level of CS-impacts attributed to calculus and/or gingivitis. CS-impacts were related more to gingivitis than to calculus.
Department of Community Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Sudaduang
S
Krisdapong
Piyada
P
Prasertsom
Khanit
K
Rattanarangsima
Aubrey
A
Sheiham
Georgios
G
Tsakos
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003728:Dental Calculus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D005260:Female; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology