Oral health status and oral health-related quality of life in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder.

Abstract

Oral diseases can affect various aspects of life in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder/oppositional defiant disorder (ADHD/ODD). This study aimed to assess the oral health status and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) in ADHD/ODD children. Forty ADHD/ODD and 80 control children aged 3-7 years old were included in the study. Gingival index (GI), dmft score, and the pediatric oral health-related quality of life (POQL) questionnaire were used to determine the oral health status and OHRQOL, respectively. The mean dmft and GI were significantly higher in the ADHD/ODD group than the control group (P=.002 and P=.001). In the ADHD/ODD children, the total score of OHRQOL and the mean scores of the emotional, physical, role, and social domains were lower than that in the control group (P=.0004, P=.027, P=.002, P=.014, and P=.043, respectively).Poisson's regressionshowed that there was a significant relationship between OHRQOL and dmft scores (P-value<.001). However, the association between GI and OHRQOL scores was not significant. Higher dmft and GI scores were found in children with ADHD/ODD than the control children. A lower POQL score was detected in ADHD/ODD patients, which translates to a better level of OHRQOL.