title: Association between oral conditions and functional limitations in childhood.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of oral conditions on functional limitations among preschoolers. A preschool-based, cross-sectional study was carried out with 843 preschoolers in Campina Grande, Brazil. Parents/caregivers answered a questionnaire addressing socio-demographic characteristics and perceptions regarding the general/oral health of their children as well as the Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale. The nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Mann-Whitney test (α = 5%) was used to compare mean children's quality-of-life scores for each independent variable. Poisson regression analysis was used to test associations between the independent and dependent variables (difficulties eating, drinking and speaking) (α = 5%). The multivariate regression model involved a hierarchical approach with four levels (distal to proximal determinants): (i) socio-demographic aspects; (ii) health perceptions; (iii) oral conditions; and (iv) pain conditions. The prevalence of negative impact on function was 24.7% for eating/drinking and 8.0% for speaking. Significant associations were found between toothache and negative impact on eating/drinking (PR = 5.38; 95%CI: 3.20-9.02) as well as between high severity dental caries and negative impact on speaking (PR = 14.91; 95%CI: 1.98-112.32). Dental caries, traumatic dental injury and malocclusion were not significantly associated with a negative impact on eating or drinking. However, toothache was an indicator of negative impact on eating/drinking and dental caries severity was an indicator of negative impact on speaking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, State University of Paraíba, Campina Grande, Brazil.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Clementino
authors.forename: T C A
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Pinto-Sarmento
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Granville-Garcia
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Paiva
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013060:Speech; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014098:Toothache / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: child; dental caries; oral health; preschool; quality of life; toothache