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. 2019 Sep 25;7(4):95.
doi: 10.3390/dj7040095.

Association between Early Childhood Caries and Quality of Life: Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale and Pufa Index

Ningthoujam Sharna  1 , Mahesh Ramakrishnan  2 , Victor Samuel  3 , Dhanalakshmi Ravikumar  4 , Khangembam Cheenglembi  5 , Sukumaran Anil  6
Affiliations

Association between Early Childhood Caries and Quality of Life: Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale and Pufa Index

Ningthoujam Sharna et al. Dent J (Basel). .

Abstract

Early Childhood Caries (ECC) are one of the major oral diseases affecting children. ECC adversely affects the children's as well as their parent/caregivers quality of life. The present study aims to assess the quality of life in children with Early Childhood Caries aged 6-72 months using the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale. It also aims to compare the quality of life between children with pufa scores of > 0 and a pufa score = 0. A total of 238 children aged 6 months to 72 months with ECC and their parent/caregiver were included in the present study. Oral examinations of the children were performed by the principal examiner using the defs and pufa index, which was followed by a personal interview of the 13 items in the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact scale among the 238 parents/caregivers. The results showed that, overall, Early Childhood Caries have a negative impact on children's quality of life, as assessed by the parent/caregiver. The overall Early Childhood Oral Health Impact scale score ranged from 0-32 (mean ± SD, 14.12 ± 6.72). Children with a pufa score > 0 (mean ± SD, 16.14 ± 6.27, p < 0.001) have significantly lower quality of life than children with pufa score = 0 (mean ± SD, 9.07 ± 4.94, p < 0.001). Early Childhood Caries had a negative impact on the quality of life of children aged 6-72 months. Children with a pufa score of "0" had better oral health-related quality of life than children with a pufa score > 0.

Keywords: Early Childhood Caries; Oral Health Impact Scale; dental caries; quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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