Assessing the Impact of Oral Disorders on the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life of Preschool Children and their Families: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Oral disorders such as Traumatic Dental Injury (TDI) and Early Childhood Caries (ECC) can significantly impact the functional, social, and psychological well-being of growing children and their families. The Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) serves as a proxy assessment of Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) in children, developed to evaluate the effects on the quality of life of preschool children. Aim: To assess the impact of oral disorders on the OHRQoL of children aged two to six years and their families. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 1000 children aged 2 to 6 years from various preschools in South Bangalore were selected. All children underwent examinations for caries, stains, and fractures. A modified questionnaire survey based on ECOHIS, consisting of 26 questions, was completed by the parents of the children. The answered questionnaire was then evaluated to assess the impact of dental conditions on the quality of life of both children and parents. Kruskal-Wallis Test, Dunn’s post-hoc Test, and Mann-Whitney Test were used to compare the mean scores of different domains of the OHRQoL scale based on ECC and dental trauma, respectively. Results: The severity of ECC demonstrated an adverse effect on the symptom domain (p<0.001), function domain (p=0.002), psychology domain (p=0.03), and the entire score of the Child Impact Section (CIS) (p<0.001). In the Family Impact Section (FIS), the mean scores of the family distress domain and the overall FIS were statistically significant (p<0.001). Dental trauma also showed an adverse effect on the symptoms domain (p<0.001) and the entire scores of the CIS (p=0.001). Additionally, the mean scores of the family distress domain and the overall FIS were statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: The presence of ECC and dental trauma is likely to have a negative impact on the physical, psychological, and emotional well-being of preschool-aged children and their families.