Oral Health Related Quality of Life among Iranian children: Part II- Condition-specific Socio-dental impacts attributed to dental caries and periodontal diseases

Given the high prevalence of dental caries and periodontal diseases and the importance of quality of life in clinical decision making, this study investigated the association between periodontal diseases and dental caries and the presence of condition-specific socio-dental impacts on quality of life attributed to these conditions among Iranian schoolchildren. Total of 310 11-14-yr-old students, attending middle schools in Tehran, Iran, were selected through stratified cluster sampling. First, they were interviewed using Child Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (Child-OIDP) index. An oral examination was conducted next and number of decayed teeth, OHI-S and bleeding on probing (BOP) were recorded. Statistical associations were tested using Independent sample t-test, Chi-square and Binary logistic regression tests. Dental caries and poor oral hygiene were significantly more common in boys than in girls (P=0.001 and P=0.000, respectively). About 30.6% and 34.8% of children reported condition- specific socio-dental impacts attributed to periodontal diseases and dental caries, (CSI-periodontal and CSI- caries) respectively. Girls were 1.8 times more likely than boys to report the presence of CSI-periodontal. Brushing the teeth was significantly associated with the presence of CSI-caries and CSI-periodontal (P<0.05). In addition, the relationship between dental caries and the presence of CSI- caries was significant (P<0.05). BOP and OHI-S were not significantly associated with the presence of CSI-periodontal (P>0.05). Dental caries, unlike BOP and OHI-S, was significantly associated with its corresponding CSI on quality of life among Iranian schoolchildren in Tehran. The Child-OIDP index can be used to assess the treatment needs attributed to dental caries in schoolchildren in Tehran.