Impact of dental caries on oral health-related quality of life in children with dental behavior management problems

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the impact of dental caries and sociodemographic factors on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children with dental behavior management problems (DBMP) and their families. One hundred and thirty-four dyads of caregivers and children participated. The impact of OHRQoL was assessed using the Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS). Socioeconomic variables were obtained from an interview. Dental caries was assessed using the dmft index. The total B-ECOHIS score was categorized as low, medium, or high impact, and its association with the independent variables was determined based on bivariate tests and a multivariate model. The median score for B-ECOHIS was 13 (range: 1-40). The negative impact was reflected mainly by complaints of oral/dental pain, difficulty in eating and parental guilt. The number of teeth with caries was significantly higher among children who experienced a high negative impact on OHRQoL (mean 9.2 [standard deviation 3.5]; p = 0.003) than those who had a low negative impact (7.0 [3.3]). The final adjusted model showed that dental caries remained independently associated with poor OHRQoL (b = 0.100; x(2) Wald 4.205; p = 0.040). A greater impact on OHRQoL was experienced by children with DBMP and greater caries experience.