title: Dental caries, but not malocclusion or developmental defects, negatively impacts preschoolers' quality of life.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral diseases can negatively influence the quality of life causing harm in the development of routine activities, child development and their well-being.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of dental caries, malocclusion and developmental defects of enamel (DDE) on the oral health-related quality of life of preschool children and their parents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out with 646 children aged 2-6 years in Diamantina, Brazil. Calibrated dental examiners performed the oral examinations. Parents answered the Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (B-ECOHIS) and a questionnaire on socio-economic indicators. Statistical analyses involved the chi-square test and Poisson regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Malocclusion and DDE did not cause a negative impact on the children's quality of life. Children with dental caries (PR: 1.92; 95%CI: 1.56-2.35) and those aged 5 (PR: 1.51; 95%CI: 1.13-2.02) and 6 years (PR: 1.51; 95%CI: 1.02-2.23) were more likely to have a negative quality of life impact on the total B-ECOHIS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dental caries was associated with a negative impact on the quality of life of children. Malocclusion and DDE did not cause a negative impact on the children's quality of life. Older children had higher frequency of negative impact on OHRQoL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Corrêa-Faria
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Suzane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paixão-Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Saul Martins
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Paiva
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Antonio
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Martins-Júnior
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raquel Gonçalves
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Vieira-Andrade
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Federal University of Vales do Jequitinhonha and Mucuri, Diamantina, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leandro Silva
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Federal University of Vales do Jequitinhonha and Mucuri, Diamantina, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Leticia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ramos-Jorge
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion; D009909:Oral Health; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires