IMPACT OF UNTREATED DENTAL CARIES AND MALOCCLUSION IN BRAZILIAN ADOLESCENTS ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THEIR FAMILIES

Resumo

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of dental caries and malocclusion in Brazilian adolescents on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of their families. Methods: A representative cross-sectional study was conducted with 1168 adolescents from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and their families. Parents/caregivers answered the Brazilian version of the Family
Impact Scale (B-FIS) to assess the impact of oral conditions on the OHRQoL of the families. Malocclusion was diagnosed using the Dental Aesthetic Index. Dental caries was diagnosed using the DMFT index. Three examiners who had undergone training and calibration exercises performed the clinical examinations. Sex, age and social vulnerability of the adolescents were considered confounding variables. Data analysis was performed using bivariate and multivariate Poisson regression analysis with robust variance (p<0.05). Results: The analysis adjusted by sex, age and social vulnerability demonstrated that families of adolescents with untreated dental caries had 29% more impact on Parental/Family Activity (95% CI: 1.11-1.50), 28% on Parental Emotions (95% CI: 1.09-1.51) and 34% on Family Conflict (95% CI: 1.09-1.65) than those without caries. When adjusted for sex and age, malocclusion was associated with Financial Burden (PR=1.39;95%CI=1.01-1.65), but this variable lost its significance when social vulnerability was included in the
multivariate model (PR=1.27; 95% CI: 0.99-1.64). Conclusion: Untreated dental caries in adolescents exerted a negative impact on the OHRQoL of their families. Social vulnerability exerted an influence on the impact of malocclusion on the OHRQoL of the families.