title: Impact of dental caries on quality of life among preschool children: emphasis on the type of tooth and stages of progression.
abstract: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the impact of dental caries on the quality of life of preschool children and their parents/caretakers, with an emphasis on the type of tooth and stage of progression. A randomly selected sample of preschool children, 3-5 yrs of age, underwent an oral examination for the assessment of dental caries using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System II (ICDAS II) criteria. Parents/caretakers answered two questionnaires, one on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of the child [the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS)], and the other on the socio-economic characteristics of the family. Statistical analyses were performed using the chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Poisson regression. A total of 451 preschool children participated in the study. The majority of carious lesions exhibited severe decay (60.6%) and were found in both anterior (incisors/canines) and posterior (molars) teeth. The final Poisson model revealed negative impacts on quality of life from more advanced stages of dental caries, both in incisors/canines and molars. Child's age and household income were also associated with impact on quality of life. Carious lesions in more advanced stages of progression in anterior and posterior teeth were associated with a negative impact on the quality of life of preschool children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramos-Jorge
authors.forename: Bruna Mota
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Alencar
authors.forename: Isabela Almeida
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Pordeus
authors.forename: Maria Eliza da Consolação
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Leandro Silva
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Maria Letícia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ramos-Jorge
authors.forename: Saul Martins
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Paiva
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000067576:Child Health; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003481:Cuspid / Q000473:pathology; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004522:Educational Status; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011788:Quality of Life; D012923:Social Class; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: dental caries; preschool children; quality of life