Influence of traumatic dental injury on quality of life of Brazilian preschool children and their families

AimThe aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of traumatic dental injury (TDI) on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of Brazilian preschool children and their families. Material and methodsA cross-sectional study was carried out with 1632 children of both sexes aged 60-71months in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Data on OHRQoL were collected using the Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (B-ECOHIS), which was self-administered by parents/caregivers to record their perceptions regarding the oral health of their children. A questionnaire addressing demographic and socio-economic data was also sent to parents/caregivers. Oral examinations of the children were performed by a single, previously calibrated dentist (intraexaminer and interexaminer agreement: kappa0.83) for the assessment of the prevalence and type of TDI using the diagnostic criteria proposed by Andreasen etal. [2007]. Bivariate and multiple Poisson regression analyses were performed, with the level of significance set at 5%. ResultsThe prevalence of negative impact from oral conditions on quality of life was 36.8% and 31.4% for children and families, respectively. TDI was not significantly associated with OHRQoL. Tooth avulsion remained in final multiple models of child OHRQoL [PR=1.37, 95%CI=1.02-1.85] and family OHRQoL [PR=1.55, 95%CI=1.12-2.14]. Tooth discolouration remained in the final multiple models of family OHRQoL [PR=1.23, 95%CI=1.05-1.44]. ConclusionsThe presence of TDI in Brazilian preschool children has no impact on quality of life of the children or their families. However, tooth avulsion is associated with a negative impact on OHRQoL in both groups, and tooth discolouration is associated with a negative impact on family OHRQoL.