title: The comparative morbidities of acute dental pain and acute asthma on quality of life in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this prospective cross-section survey study was to examine the comparative burden of acute exacerbations of the two most common chronic illnesses of childhood: acute dental pain and acute asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients came from one of three distinct clinics within Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio: (1) outpatient dental clinic; (2) urgent medical care unit; or (3) emergency department. Caregivers were asked information about their child's condition and the impact on their daily function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 112 parent-child dyads were included in this study. Children were significantly more likely to be under the care of a physician for asthma than a dentist for caries (P<.001). More caregivers worried about their child's overall health due to dental caries than asthma-related symptoms (P<.001). Two thirds of children had pain due to dental caries, which kept them from sleeping; 45% were prevented from playing; 45% were prevented from going to school; and 68% from eating in the preceding week.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acute dental disease had a comparative and, in some aspects, greater impact on a child's quality of life than acute asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA. thikkurissy.1@osu.edu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thikkurissy
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Glazer
authors.forename: Homa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amini
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Casamassimo
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rashid
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009820:Ohio; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010377:Pediatric Dentistry; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life