Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Research Articles

Pathway analysis between dental caries and oral health-related quality of life in the transition from childhood to adolescence: a 10-year cohort study.

To evaluate the direct and indirect pathways between cavitated carious lesionsand oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) during the transition from childhood to adolescence. A prospective cohort study followed an initial sample of 639 children (one to five years old), in southern Brazil for ten years. In addition to the baseline (T1), two subsequent reassessments were conducted after seven (T2) and ten years (T3). OHRQoL was measured through the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) and Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ8-10 and CPQ11-14), according to the age group. Dental caries was evaluated using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) in the three waves. Socioeconomic variables and other factors related to oral health (frequency of toothbrushing and toothache) were also collected. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the direct and indirect effects among the variables over ten years. A total of 449 and 429 children were reevaluated at T2 and T3 (positive response rates of 70.3% and 67.1%, respectively). Dental caries in T1 and T2 directly predicted the occurrence of a worse OHRQoL in the respective follow-up periods. Dental caries at T3 indirectly predicted a worse OHRQoL (T3), via toothache. Dental caries at T1 and T2 directly predicted the occurrence of dental caries at T3, while a worse OHRQoL at T2 directly predicted a worse OHRQoL at T3. Dental caries negatively impacts, directly and indirectly, the OHRQoL from early childhood to adolescence.

Impact of dental sedation treatment on the oral health-related quality of life of distressed young children: A secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

Little is known regarding the impact of dental treatment under sedation on distressed young children's oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). To evaluate the impact of dental treatment under sedation on the OHRQoL of children and their families. Caregivers of two-to-six-year-old children answered the Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (B-ECOHIS): (1) before treatment under sedation (T0), (2) two weeks (T1) and (3) 3 months after the completion of treatment (T2). A global transition judgment was included in the posttreatment evaluations to determine the perception of changes in OHRQoL after dental treatment. Bivariate analysis was performed. Changes in scores and effect sizes (ES) were calculated. Reductions were found at both posttreatment evaluations in the total B-ECOHIS scores (median [25th-75th percentile] at T0: 14 [9.8-21.7]; T1: 2.0 [0.0-5.1]; T2: 2.0 [0.0-6.7]); "child impact" section (T0: 8.8 [4.0-13.1]; T1: 0.0 [0.0-2.2]; T2: 0.0 [0.0-4.3]) and "family impact" section (T0: 6.0 [4.0-8.5]; T1: 0.0 [0.0-2.0]; T2: 0.0 [0.0-2.0]) (≤0.001; large ES). In 92.3% of cases at T1 and 88.3% at T2, caregivers reported that their child's oral health improved considerably. Dental treatment under sedation significantly improved the OHRQoL of the children and their families.

The oral health impact profile and well-being on mothers and preschool children

Objectivesto verify the contribution of mothers’ oral health impact profile to their children’s oral health profile and the contribution of mothers’ well-being and the caries index (dmft) to children’s well-being.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional observational study. Mothers and pre-school children enrolled in public schools in the municipality of Araraquara-SP took part. The Oral Health Impact Profile Questionnaire (OHIP-14), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) and the Autoquestionnaire Qualité de Vie Enfant Imagé (AUQEI) were used. To diagnose caries, a clinical examination was carried out to calculate the dmft index. Path analysis was carried out and the path coefficients were estimated (β) and evaluated using the z-test (α = 5%).Results443 children took part (5.19 ± 0.64 years; 52.4% boys) with an mean dmft of 1.31 ± 2.19. The mean age of the mothers was 33.4 ± 7.01 years. There was a significant impact of dmft and maternal well-being on the child’s subjective well-being (s2explained = 43%). The mothers’ oral health impact profile and the child’s caries experience had a significant influence on both the child (OHIP: β = 0.22; p < 0.001; dmft: β = 0.48; p < 0.001) and the family (OHIP: β = 0.29; p < 0.001; dmft: β = 0.32; p < 0.001). The child’s dmft (β=-0.10; p = 0.005) and the mothers’ subjective well-being (β=-0.61; p < 0.001) had a significant impact on the child’s subjective well-being.ConclusionThe mothers’ oral health impact profile and the child’s caries experience had an impact on both the child and the family. Mothers’ subjective well-being and caries experience should be considered when assessing the subjective well-being of Brazilian preschool children.

Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale: Psychometric Evaluation in Portuguese Preschoolers.

to contribute to the validation of the Early Childhood Oral Impact Scale (ECOHIS) by studying its psychometric properties when applied to a Portuguese preschool population. Cross-sectional study conducted with children aged between three and five-years-old. The non-probabilistic sample included two preschools in the municipality of Lisbon. Children who agreed to participate and whose guardians signed the informed consent were included. Data collection included a questionnaire, administered to the parents, and an intraoral examination of the children. The questionnaire included the Portuguese version of ECOHIS. The intraoral examination included the caries diagnosis according to the World Health Organization criteria. Discriminant validity compared the ECOHIS score between children with and without caries experience (Mann-Whitney U-test). Cohen's d was calculated to estimate the magnitude of the difference. Reliability analysis included Cronbach's α and test-retest. Construct validity was analyzed by the correlation between the ECOHIS score and dmft (Spearman's correlation). A significance level of 5% was used. The sample included 104 children (mean age 4.1 years). ECOHIS values were significantly different between children with and without caries (p=0.004). The Cohen's d was 0.84. The Cronbach's was 0.78, with no significant increase in value when eliminating any of the items. The test-retest showed significant correlation (r=0.76; p=0.01). There was a significant correlation between the ECOHIS score and caries experience (r=0.28; p=0.004). The Portuguese version of the ECOHIS showed good psychometric properties, indicating that it is a reliable and valid tool to measure the impact of oral health in preschool children.

Effect of silver diamine fluoride and nano silver fluoride on oral health-related quality of life of children with early childhood caries: A randomized clinical trial

ObjectivesUntreated caries in primary teeth is one of the most prevalent health problems in children worldwide. Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) non-invasively arrests caries but causes staining unlike Nano Silver Fluoride (NSF) which causes no stains. This study compared the effect of NSF and 38 % SDF on the oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) of preschool children after 6 months. MethodsChildren were included if they were younger than 4 years, with at least one active lesion, ICDAS score ≥3, attending nurseries in a rural area in Alexandria, Egypt. They were randomly assigned to receive NSF once at baseline, or SDF at baseline and after 6 months. The Arabic version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (A-ECOHIS) was used to assess the OHRQoL. The groups were compared using chi-square test and the effect of the intervention on OHRQoL was assessed using multiple linear regression. Results360 children were included, mean (SD) age = 42.3 (8.2) months. After 6 months, NSF had significantly lower A-ECOHIS scores than SDF in bivariate analysis (p< 0.05) and in regression analysis (B= -5.02, p = 0.001) after adjusting for confounders. There were significant reductions in the A-ECOHIS total and domains’ scores in both study groups, except for the social interaction domain in the SDF group. ConclusionAfter 6-month, both agents significantly improved children's OHRQoL although NSF had a significantly better impact on OHRQoL than SDF. Clinical SignificancePatient-reported outcomes support the inclusion of the two agents among the options for ECC management with better effect on quality of life after NSF. Trial registrationThe trial was registered in the clinicaltrials.gov registry (#NCT05255913).

Change in oral health-related behaviours of children before and after dental treatments under general anaesthesia.

This study evaluated the behavioural changes pertaining to children's oral health before and after the dental general anaesthesia (DGA), with particular focus on the factors associated with these changes. The records were collected for the children who received DGA from July 2015 to November 2016, and relevant questionnaires were obtained from their parents/guardians for the information prior to and after the DGA. The questionnaire included Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) and Dental Subscale of Children's Fear Survey Schedule (CFSS-DS) to investigate the changes in Oral Health-related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) and dental fear. The DGA impact on children's oral hygiene habits and oral health-related behaviours was assessed by analysing the data. The chi-square test and Mann-Whitney test were employed to evaluate the differences. Total of 141 patients (89 before DGA and 77 after DGA, 25 being common) participated in this study. There were 60 children below 5 years and 29 over 5 years before DGA, while 41 children below 5 years and 36 over 5 years after DGA. Most parents/guardians were educated above undergraduate level (59.6% before DGA, 55.8% after DGA). More children lived with grandparents (61.8% before DGA, 54.5% after DGA) than only with parents (20.2% before DGA, 26.0% after DGA). In total, 73.0% (65/89) children before DGA brushed teeth more than twice a day. This proportion increased to 90.9% after DGA (70/77, p = 0.03). The eating difficulty decreased after DGA according to ECOHIS (p = 0.01). CFSS-DS score also decreased after DGA (p < 0.05). After DGA, children's oral hygiene habits and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) improved, children fear for dental treatment decreased, and parents became more attentive towards children oral health.

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

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&lt;0.001), function domain (p=0.002), psychology domain (p=0.03), and the entire score of the Child Impact Section (CIS) (p&lt;0.001). In the Family Impact Section (FIS), the mean scores of the family distress domain and the overall FIS were statistically significant (p&lt;0.001). Dental trauma also showed an adverse effect on the symptoms domain (p&lt;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&lt;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.

Dental caries and oral health-related quality of life in Preschoolers – introducing the Swedish version of the early childhood oral health impact scale (ECOHIS)

Objective: Experience of caries has a clearly negative impact on the quality of life in preschool children. The instrument Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) measures the oral health-related quality of life in preschool children (Child Impact Section) and their families (Family Impact Section). The aims of the study were to develop a Swedish version of ECOHIS and to evaluate the instrument’s reliability, validity, and internal consistency. Additionally, to analyse the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among preschool children who have experienced caries. Methods: The original ECOHIS questionnaire was translated into Swedish. Caregivers of preschool children aged 2–5 years were recruited at dental clinics in Sweden, to participate in the study and answer the Swedish version of the ECOHIS (S-ECOHIS). The internal consistency and reliability were assessed by using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient. In order to measure the consistency of the study, the questionnaire was re-tested two weeks later for 10 of the caregivers and assessed by using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs). The results from S-ECOHIS were described as descriptive data and independent t-test was performed. All data were calculated using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Results: S-ECOHIS was developed by translating the original English version using a double-blinded technique. A total of 274 caregivers participated in the study and completed the questionnaire. Cronbach’s Alpha was 0.84 for S-ECOHIS, 0.83 for CIS, and 0.66 for FIS. The ICC was 0.95 for the test-retest of S-ECOHIS. Among the respondents, 117 (43%) had children diagnosed with caries, while 157 (57%) had children without caries. The children with caries reported a higher total score of 5.97 (SD 6.16) of S-ECOHIS, compared to the score of the non-caries children 0.77 (SD 1.38) (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The Swedish version of ECOHIS that was developed demonstrates good validity, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency. The findings show that the oral health-related quality of life is adversely affected in preschool children with caries, with particular vulnerability observed among children with untreated caries. These results indicate that S-ECOHIS is suitable for use in future clinical and research endeavors.

Oral health-related quality of life, impaired physical health and orofacial pain in children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis – a prospective multicenter cohort study

BackgroundKnowledge on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is limited, and longitudinal studies are lacking. We aimed to describe OHRQoL in children and adolescents with JIA compared to controls, and to explore the validity and internal consistency of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) and the Child Oral Impact on Daily Performance (Child-OIDP). Furthermore, we wanted to investigate associations between OHRQoL and orofacial pain, physical health, disease activity, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) involvement in JIA.MethodsThe Norwegian prospective, multicenter cohort study recruited participants with JIA between 4 and 16 years of age and corresponding controls from three pediatric university hospital departments and public dental health services. In the present study, we analyzed OHRQoL in all children < 12 years with the ECOHIS and adolescents ≥ 12 years with the Child-OIDP at the first visit and the two-year follow-up. Associations between OHRQoL and JIA characteristics, collected in clinical exam and questionnaires, were analyzed in logistic regressions.ResultsThe same OHRQoL questionnaire was completed both at first visit and two-year follow-up in 101 children < 12 years (47 JIA, 54 controls) and 213 adolescents ≥ 12 years (111 JIA, 102 controls). The frequency of OHRQoL impacts in children was similar at the first visit and the two-year follow-up (ECOHIS > 0: JIA group 81% and 85%, p = 0.791; control group 65% and 69%, p = 0.815), while adolescents with JIA reported fewer impacts at the two-year follow-up (Child OIDP > 0: JIA group 27% and 15%, p = 0.004; control group 21% and 14%, p = 0.230). The internal consistency of the OHRQoL instruments was overall acceptable and the criterion validity indicated that the instruments were valid at both visits. Orofacial pain was more frequent in children and adolescents with JIA than in controls. We found associations between OHRQoL impacts and orofacial pain, impaired physical health, disease activity, and TMJ involvement.ConclusionsChildren and adolescents with orofacial pain or impaired physical health were more likely to report impacts on daily life activities than those without. Pediatric rheumatologists and dentists should be aware of impaired OHRQoL in individuals with JIA with active disease or temporomandibular joint involvement.Trial registrationRegistered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03904459, 05/04/2019).

Oral health-related quality of life and associated factors among a sample from East China with severe early childhood caries: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundTo investigate the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and associated factors among a sample from East China with severe early childhood caries (S-ECC).MethodsA total of 316 children with S-ECC and their parents were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional study. Children were examined for caries status using criteria proposed by World Health Organization (WHO). The accompanying parent was required to provide demographic information and complete two validated questionnaires in Chinese: the early childhood oral health impact scale (ECOHIS) and the 5-item oral health impact profile (OHIP).ResultsThe study had a 98.1% response rate. Finally, the data of 300 children and their parents were analyzed. Mothers cared for their children far more than fathers in the included family (78.7% mother, 21.3% father). The mean age of children was 4.1 ± 0.7 years, ranging from 3 to 5. The mean dmft score was 13.8 ± 3.8. Few (13.7%) children never had a toothache. ECOHIS scores ranged from 0 to 38, with a mean score of 16.2 ± 7.2. The mean OHIP score was 2.9 ± 2.7. The parental age, family income, residence, history of pain, the dmft scores and parents’ OHIP showed associations with ECOHIS scores or domain scores (P < 0.05). The multiple regression analysis showed that the history of pain, accompanying parents’ OHIP, and the dmft scores were mainly associated with ECOHIS and child impact (P < 0.05); parental age was associated with family impact (P = 0.024).ConclusionsThe parent’s OHRQoL was associated with the children’s OHRQoL, indicating that policymakers and clinical practitioners should improve both children’s and their parents’ oral health. Furthermore, the caries severity and the history of dental pain impacted children’s OHRQoL.

The Evaluation of Postoperative Complications and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life Following Dental General Anesthesia for Early Childhood Caries.

Aim The study aims toevaluate the postoperative complications and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) following dental general anesthesia for early childhood caries (ECC). Materials and methods Two hundred children aged between three and six requiring full-mouth rehabilitation for general anesthesia were recruited for the study. Demographic data and oral health-related quality of life using the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) were collected before the surgery. Postoperative complications and oral health-related quality of life were evaluated after 24hours and at a one-week follow-up appointment. Results All 200 children returned for the follow-up appointment after one week. Pain was found to be the most common postoperative complication after 24 hours (52%) and one week (6%). The oral health-related quality of life showed a significant improvement after one week (P < 0.001) Conclusion Children may experience a postoperative complication after full-mouth rehabilitation, which resolves within a week. Dental pain was the most common operative complication in the present study. Oral health-related quality of life showed significant improvement after full-mouth rehabilitation.

The Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS): psychometric properties and application on preschoolers.

The concept of oral health related to quality of life involves the impact that oral health has on an individual's well-being. The Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) was developed to measure the impact of oral health problems on the lives of children and their families. To evaluate the psychometric properties of ECOHIS applied to mothers of preschool children and estimate the influence of demographic characteristics, caries experience, and plaque index on the ECOHIS score. The fit of ECOHIS to the data was assessed by confirmatory analysis. Chi-square for degrees of freedom ratio (χ2/df), Comparative Fit Index (CFI), Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI), and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) were used. Reliability was estimated by the ordinal coefficients alpha (α) and omega (ω). The factorial invariance was estimated by the difference in CFI (ΔCFI). Comparisons of the ECOHIS mean scores according to the demographic characteristics, caries experience, and plaque index was performed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). A total of 371 children participated in the study. Mothers' mean age was 33.0 (SD = 7.04) years. The ECOHIS presented a good fit to the data (χ2/df = 4.31; CFI = 0.95; TLI = 0.94; RMSEA = 0.09) and a strict model invariance. Children without caries and from higher income class had lower oral health impact. The data obtained with the ECOHIS were valid, reliable, and invariant. Children with caries experience and from lower income families had a greater impact of oral problems.

Comparison of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS-4D) and Child Health Utility Index (CHU-9D) in children with oral diseases.

Accurate assessment of child oral health is important for guiding economic evaluations and informing healthcare decision-making. Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS-4D) is a preference-based instrument that measures the oral health-related quality of life of young children. The aim of this study was to compare the utility scores of ECOHIS-4D and Child Health Utility Index (CHU-9D), against an oral health indicator to evaluate which utility score corresponds better with the oral health indicator. The ECOHIS-4D and CHU-9D were applied to 314 parent/child dyads from preschools in a primary healthcare setting in Perth, Western Australia. Four parameters were used to assess which instrument corresponds better with the oral health indicator (decayed, missing and filled teeth score-dmft score): (i) discrimination, the ability to discriminate between different clinical severity groups, (ii) external responsiveness, how much the utility values relate to the changes in dmft scores, (iii) correlation, the association between the two instruments and the related dimensions and (iv) differences in the utility values across the two instruments. Most participants (81%) were 2-6 years old, and nearly 50% had a dmft score <3. ECOHIS-4D demonstrated a superior ability to differentiate between dmft severity groups and respond to changes in dmft scores. A significant weak correlation was observed between dmft and ECOHIS-4D (-0.26, 95%, CI -0.36 to -0.15) compared to a non-significant very poor correlation between dmft and CHU-9D (0.01, 95% CI -0.12 to 0.10). The utility scores of the two instruments had relatively good agreement towards good health and weak agreement towards poor health. ECOHIS-4D, the oral health-specific instrument, is more sensitive in assessing children's oral health-related quality of life than the generic CHU-9D. Thus, ECOHIS-4D is more appropriate for utility estimates in economic evaluations of oral health-related interventions and resource allocation decision-making.

The Development and Evaluation of the Slovenian Version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS-SVN).

There has been no valid and reliable instrument available to measure the impact of oral health on the quality of life of Slovenian preschool children. The main aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the validity and reliability of the first Slovenian instrument assessing Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) preschool children: the ECOHIS-SVN. The ECOHIS-SVN was developed using forward-backward translations and with the participation of children aged under six and their parents. The children's teeth were examined, and parents were asked to complete questionnaires, including the ECOHIS-SVN. The internal consistency of ECOHIS-SVN was evaluated through the calculation of Cronbach's alpha (α), test-retest reliability with an intra-class-correlation coefficient (ICC), convergent validity with Spearman's rank correlation (r) and criterion validity with the Mann-Whitney test. The association between the ECOHIS-SVN score and parents' age, educational level, self-reported oral health and OHIP-SVN14 was estimated using multiple linear regression. In the study, 255 children participated, with a mean age of 4.8 years (±0.8). The ECOHIS-SVN questionnaire was completed by the parents of all 255 children and re-filled by 71 parents. The results of the total ECOHIS-SVN scale include α=0.85, ICC=0.85, and r=0.6-0.75. A statistically significant association was found between the ECOHIS-SVN and parents' age and between the ECOHIS-SVN and parents' OHIP-SVN14 in the whole group and in the subgroup of children with no teeth affected by cavitated caries (dmft=0) (p=0.025, p=0.028), respectively. ECOHIS-SVN enables further studies to assess the OHRQoL of preschool children in the Slovenian-speaking population.

Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Celiac Portuguese Children: a cross-sectional study

PurposeCeliac Disease (CD) presents a wide variety of clinical signs and symptoms, including oral manifestations. This study pretended to characterize Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) and reported oral manifestations in children with CD.MethodsTarget-population were children with CD. An online questionnaire, applied to children’s parents, collected information about OHRQoL (using the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale—ECOHIS), oral health behaviours, and history of oral manifestations. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney, Kruskall-Wallis, and Spearman correlation tests (α = 0.05).ResultsThe sample included 146 celiac patients, with a mean age of 10.5 years (sd = 4.1). Mean ECOHIS score was 5.2 (sd = 6.8). The most frequently reported oral manifestations were recurrent aphthous stomatitis (46.6%), dental caries (45.2%) and dental opacity (39%). About one third of the participants mentioned improvements in oral health when a gluten-free diet was introduced. Most of the reported oral manifestations had a significant association with the ECOHIS score (p < 0.05).ConclusionsThe OHRQoL of children was good, however oral manifestations had a negative impact on OHRQoL. The most reported oral manifestations were recurrent aphthous stomatitis, dental caries, and dental opacities. Oral health professionals must be aware about the heterogeneity of the disease, to recognize oral manifestations associated and their importance in the early diagnosis to reduce complications and to an improvement in the OHRQoL of these patients.

The Impact of Dental Pain on the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) of Preschool Children in Austria.

Dental pain in children is a global public health burden with psychosocial and economic implications, challenging families and pediatric dentists in daily clinical practice. Previous studies have addressed the exclusive impact of either caries, dental trauma, malocclusion, or socioeconomic status on OHRQoL. Even though such examples can surely cause dental pain in children, so far only little research on the correlation of dental pain as a general symptom of different underlying causes and OHRQoL has been published. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of dental pain on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children between the ages of 0 and 6 years old and subsequently compare the results to a control group free of tooth ache. Children and their adult caregivers were recruited from the Emergency unit of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University Clinic of Dentistry in Vienna. The caregivers completed the German version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS-G). Afterwards, the children were clinically examined. The cause for dental pain, dmf-t index, and plaque accumulation were collected. In total, 259 children with a mean age of 4.2 years (SD ± 1.5 years) were included in the study group. Their mean ECOHIS-G score was 9.0 (SD ± 7.4), while the control group only amounted to a score of 4.9 (SD ± 5.6). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant in both ECOHIS-G subsections, the child impact scale (CIS) and the family impact scale (FIS) as well as the ECOHIS-G sum score (p < 0.05). Dmf-t index and plaque accumulation significantly correlated with CIS and ECOHIS sum score (p ≤ 0.05). The reduction in quality of life was nearly twice as great in the children with dental pain as in the control children. The ECOHIS-G is a valid instrument for measuring the OHRQoL of children with dental pain between the ages of 0 to 6.

Changes in Oral-Health-Related Quality of Life of Egyptian Children Treated under Dental General Anesthesia: A Prospective Study.

Treatment of young children under dental general anesthesia (DGA) is sometimes necessary due to lack of cooperation and the complexity of dental treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the changes in oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in children following treatment under DGA. A consecutive sample of 88 children aged 5 and younger who were referred to the department of pediatric dentistry, Cairo university, Egypt, for treatment under DGA was included. Parents were asked to complete the Arabic version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (A-ECOHIS) questionnaire before and 4 weeks after treatment. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare baseline and follow up scores. Effect sizes (ES) were also calculated. The overall ECOHIS scores decreased significantly from 16.72 (±7.07) to 0.9 (±3.08); (p < 0.001, Wilcoxon signed-rank test) after treatment under DGA, demonstrating a large effect size of 2.2. The scores of the two subscales of the ECOHIS, the child impact scale (CIS) and the family impact scale (FIS), also decreased significantly (p < 0.001). Treatment under DGA not only improved the OHRQoL of the Egyptian children in our sample significantly, but also had a positive effect on their families' quality of life.

An online survey of oral health behaviours and impact on young children and families in Wales.

Introduction Studies outside Wales have consistently reported reduced quality of life as measured by the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale. With relatively high levels of tooth decay in Wales as found through the regular dental surveys, it is important to understand different oral health-related behaviours and impact so that findings can inform oral health promotion in Wales.Methods An oral health questionnaire was made available to volunteers registered with Health Wise Wales. Parents of children (2-6 years old) participated in the study. Frequency analyses were carried out to understand the oral health-related behaviours and regression analysis was carried out to understand the predictors of reported oral health impacts.Results Overall reported oral health impact was low in this study. In total, 20% of parents reported that their child brushed their teeth less than twice a day and 23% reported toothbrushing without adult supervision. Drinking plain water twice a day or more was associated with good oral health in children.Conclusion Overall, reported oral health impact was low, which is likely to be due to under-representation of study participants from the deprived areas in Wales. There is plenty of room for improvement in oral health-related behaviours.

Comparison of Oral Health-Related Quality of Life scores in children treated for early childhood caries under general and local anesthesia: a quasi-experimental study.

The purpose of this study was to compare the changes in oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) scores in children treated for Early Childhood Caries (ECC) under general (GA) and local anesthesia (LA). A quasi-experimental study was carried out on 73 children, with 37 in the GA group and 36 in the LA group. The early childhood oral health impact scale (ECOHIS) was used to measure OHRQoL, with the type of anesthesia (LA or GA) serving as the explanatory variable. A Friedman test was used to assess the difference between the LA and GA groups at baseline, one-week, and one-month follow-up points. The results showed a significant difference in the overall mean ECOHIS scores between the LA and GA groups at 1-week (LAmean ± SD = 6.12 ± 1.11, GAmean ± SD = 5.50 ± 0.88; P = 0.01) and 1-month (LAmean ± SD = 5.87 ± 1.12, GAmean ± SD = 4.96 ± 0.99; P < 0.001) follow-up points. Irrespective of the administered anesthesia, a significant (P < 0.001) reduction in the mean score for dental pain was observed at both 1-week (mean ± SD = 1.30 ± 1.16) and 1-month (mean ± SD = 0.81 ± 0.89) timepoints after the treatment, as compared to the baseline assessment (mean ± SD = 2.02 ± 1.02). Early treatment for ECC reduces pain, restore normal activities, and improves the quality of life of affected children. Specifically, GA was found to be more beneficial for both children and parents. However, further studies using more robust study designs and carefully considering related factors are necessary to confirm these findings.

Impact of parental attributes on the oral health-related quality of life of Brazilian preschool children.

Considering the importance of parental attitudes and their influence on children's oral health, it is important to know which characteristics may impact it. The aim of this population study was to evaluate the impact of the parental sociodemographic characteristics on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of preschool children from southeastern Brazil. A population-based study was conducted with a sample of 321 children aged 2 to 5years old who underwent a calibrated clinical oral examination to assess oral health status and their parents were asked to answer the two following questionnaires: (1) sociodemographic conditions and (2) Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (B-ECOHIS). Descriptive analysis, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests and adjusted Poisson regression models were used. Younger mothers (RP: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.11-1.95), lower household income (RP: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.11-1.96) and the presence of dental caries (RP: 2.28; 95% CI: 1.74-3.0) were more likely to have a negative impact on the OHRQoL B-ECOHIS total scores (P < 0.01). The characteristics of mothers, such as age, schooling and salary, influenced the mean B-ECOHIS total score; however, paternal attributes were not associated with a negative impact on the children's quality of life. Also, dental caries and household income influenced the children's oral health-related quality of life.