The impact of Dental Caries on the Quality of Life of disadvantaged adolescents

Abstract

This study assessed the extent to which dental caries, adjusted for socio-demographic and oral health behavior determinants, impact on oral-health-related quality of life of disadvantaged adolescents. All students attending the 6th to 8th grades of the same public school in the region of Itapoã, Federal District of Brazil (n = 1,122) where water is fluoridated were screened. A total of 618 were selected and examined. The adolescents were 10–15 years old (54.2% female), had at least one permanent second molar without filling or sealant and were enrolled in a prospective controlled clinical trial on occlusal caries. Parents answered a questionnaire about family’s socio-economic status. [...