The relation between oral impacts on daily performances and perceived clinical oral conditions in primary school children in the Ugu District, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa
Few studies have related the common oral health related quality
of life (OHRQoL) impacts in children to perceived causes.
Objective: To assess the prevalence, extent and intensity
of oral impacts in relation to perceived clinical conditions in
primary school children in South Africa.
Methods: Cross-sectional study of a random sample of
children attending 26 schools. The Child Oral Impacts on
Daily Performance (Child-OIDP) index, administered through
individual face-to-face interviews, was used.
Results: Sixty four per cent of the sample of 2610 children
aged 11-13 years participated. 36.2% reported having one or
more oral impacts on daily performances, 61.1% having one
affected and 63.1% reporting impacts were of “very little” or
“little” intensity. Eating was most commonly affected (22.8%)
mainly related to decay (40%), followed by cleaning the teeth
(17.2%). Toothache impacted on speaking (32.5%), whereas
toothache (35.7%) and tooth decay (28.6%) influenced studying.
Position of teeth impacted on smiling (19.2%), social
(8.5%) and speaking (7.5%). Bleeding gums” and “tooth colour”
affected cleaning teeth and smiling respectively.Department of HE and Training approved lis
