Impact of oral diseases and disorders on oral‐health‐related quality of life of children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of oral diseases and disorders on the oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children with CP, adjusting this impact by socioeconomic factors. Data were collected from 60 pairs of parents-children with CP. Parents answered the child oral health quality of life questionnaire (parental-caregivers perception questionnaire and family impact scale) and a socioeconomic questionnaire. Dental caries experience, traumatic dental injuries, malocclusions, bruxism, and dental fluorosis were also evaluated. The multivariate adjusted model showed that dental caries experience (p < 0.001) and the presence of bruxism had a negative impact (p = 0.046) on the OHRQoL. A greater family income had a positive impact on it (p < 0.001). Dental caries experience and bruxism are conditions strongly associated with a negative impact on OHRQoL of children with CP and their parents, but a higher family income can improve this negative impact.