Oral Health Impact, Dental Caries Experience, and Associated Factors in 12-15-year-old School Children in India

Background: Dental caries affects quality of life and has a negative impact on daily performance.

Objective: The study was conducted to assess the impact of oral health and its associated factors in schoolchildren in the age group 12-15 years in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in schoolchildren in the age group 12-15 years. Sociodemographic and oral health related behaviors of schoolchildren were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Child oral impact on daily performance (OIDP) questionnaire was used to assess the oral impacts. Oral examination was performed to check the presence of caries using decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index.

Results: A total of 690 schoolchildren participated in the survey. The mean age of the children was 13.58 years. The overall prevalence of dental caries was found to be 47.2%. The prevalence of one or more impact in the study population was 36.5%. The most prevalent impact was difficulty in eating and cleaning of teeth and the least prevalent impact were emotion and studying. Results of logistic regression analysis showed that the type of school that a child goes to, socioeconomic status, material used, dental visit, and dental caries were significantly associated with the Child-OIDP affected score.

Conclusion: Oral health had a significant effect on the quality of life of schoolchildren. The prevalence of dental caries was found to be high. Effective policies need to be drafted for oral health promotion in this age group.