Self-Relevance of Oral Health Among 12-Year-Old Schoolchildren in Nellore: A Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION

The integration of health-related quality-of-life evaluations into clinical research has led to the development of disease-specific assessment tools. The Children Oral Health-Related Quality of Life framework comprises multidimensional scales that measure the negative impact of oral health issues on a child's well-being and daily functioning. One such tool is the Child Perceptions Questionnaire for children aged 11-14 years (CPQ11-14).

AIM

This study aims to assess the association between oral health status and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among 12-year-old schoolchildren in the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 12-year-old schoolchildren attending government schools in the Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh. Child perception was evaluated using the Telugu-translated CPQ11-14 questionnaire. Oral health status was clinically examined through assessment of oral hygiene status and dental caries. Spearman correlation was conducted to assess the relationship between CPQ11-14 scores and oral health status.

RESULTS

A total of 450 schoolchildren participated in the study. The overall mean CPQ11-14 score was 17.22. CPQ scores showed a weak positive correlation with the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S) (0.005) and the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth Index (DMFT) (0.05).

CONCLUSION

Poor oral health status and dental caries had a negative impact on the OHRQoL of children.