Changes in the oral-health-related quality of life of Brazilian children after an educational preventive programme: an 1-month longitudinal evaluation

• Published in: International journal of dental hygiene 2014-08, Vol.12 (3), p.226-233
• Main Authors: Amato, JN, Barbosa, TS, Kobayashi, FY, Gavião, MBD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Attitude to Health; Child; Children & youth; Dental Calculus - classification; Dental Devices, Home Care; Dental Plaque Index; Dentistry; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Gingival Hemorrhage - prevention & control; Gingival Hemorrhage - psychology; gingivitis; Gingivitis - prevention & control; Gingivitis - psychology; Gum disease; Health education; Health Education, Dental - methods; Health Status; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Motivation; Oral Health; Oral hygiene; Oral Hygiene - education; Oral Hygiene Index; Periodontal Index; prevention and control; Quality of Life; Toothbrushing - methods
• ISSN: 1601-5029; 1601-5037
• DOI: 10.1111/idh.12075

Objective This 1‐month longitudinal study assessed whether the oral status and the oral‐health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children changed after four sessions of an educational preventive programme. Study population and methods Fifty Brazilian students (11–12 year old) were examined for signs and symptoms of gingivitis using the Community Periodontal Index and two questions about gingival bleeding. The OHRQoL was measured using the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Child Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (Child‐OIDP). Higher scores indicated worse OHRQoL. The results were analysed using the Shapiro–Wilk, Chi‐square, Wilcoxon signed‐rank and Mann–Whitney tests. The magnitude of the mean change was calculated using the effect size. Results Twenty‐four percentage of children had more than six sites with bleeding at follow‐up compared with 58% at baseline. There was a significant decline in the intensity and extension of impacts at follow‐up. A significant improvement in the clinical status and oral hygiene was observed for both transitional categories. There was a significant decline in the Child‐OIDP scores of those reporting ‘much improved’. A significant improvement in the global ratings of oral health was observed at follow‐up. Conclusions In the studied sample, an improvement occurred with respect to the severity of disease, intensity and extension of impacts and global ratings of oral health after 1‐month follow‐up. These results suggest that improving the global transition in health by enhancing coping and management skills while inducing slight changes in the clinical status and the specific aspects of health compromised by the disease is possible.