title: Malocclusion and quality of life in Brazilian preschoolers.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of malocclusion on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among preschool children and their families. This study involved 732 preschoolers. Parents/caregivers filled out the Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (B-ECOHIS) and a questionnaire addressing sociodemographic data. Overbite, overjet, and crossbite were recorded during the clinical examination. Bivariate and multiple Poisson regression analyses were performed and prevalence ratio (PR) were calculated (α = 5%). The prevalence of negative impact from malocclusion on OHRQoL was 27.6% among the children and 22.3% among the families. Mother's schooling (PR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.10-1.70), parent's/caregiver's assessment of child's oral health (PR = 2.07; 95% CI: 1.60-2.58), history of toothache (PR = 3.84; 95% CI: 2.34-6.30), and visits to the dentist (PR = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.37-0.94) remained significantly associated with OHRQoL in the final model for the children, whereas parent's/caregiver's assessment of child's oral health (PR = 2.32; 95% CI: 1.71-3.14) and history of toothache (PR = 2.28; 95% CI: 1.69-3.09) remained significantly associated with OHRQoL for the families. Malocclusion was not associated with a negative impact on OHRQoL. In contrast, parents'/caregivers' perceptions regarding the oral health of their children and a history of toothache were predictors of a negative impact on the OHRQoL.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, State University of Paraiba (UEPB), Campina Grande, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raulison V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Marayza A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Clementino
authors.forename: Monalisa C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Carolina C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Ana F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Granville-Garcia
authors.forename: Saul M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Paiva
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D001938:Brazil; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education; D024343:Open Bite / Q000523:psychology; D009909:Oral Health; D057887:Overbite / Q000523:psychology; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011788:Quality of Life; D014098:Toothache / Q000523:psychology; D014504:Urban Health
keywords: malocclusion; preschool child; quality of life