BackgroundTo assess the impact of children’s dental health status (DHS) on their oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL).MethodsParticipants were 11- and 12-year-old children attending public schools in the Kuwait Capital Region. Children’s DHS was evaluated by clinical examinations and presented using decayed, missed, filled teeth/surface (DMFT/dmft, DMFS/dmfs); restorative (RI), plaque (PI); and pulp, ulcers, fistula, abscess (PUFA) indices. Children’s OHRQoL was assessed using Child’s Perception Questionnaire 11–14 (CPQ11–14). Means (SD) and frequencies were used for data description. Different factors were analyzed as predictors of OHRQoL by logistic regression analysis.ResultsA total of 440 children aged 11–12 years (50.7 % females) participated in this cross-sectional study. Mean (SD) DMFT/dmft, RI, PI, and PUFA scores were 2.91(2.75), 0.21 (0.34), 3.59 (1.63), 0.31 (0.85), respectively. The mean total CPQ11–14 was 20.72 (16.81). Mean scores of oral-symptoms, functional-limitations, emotional and social well-being were 4.26 (3.32), 5.40 (4.92), 5.48 (6.15), and 5.33 (6.05), respectively. Children with more than four fillings were 95 % less likely to have had oral symptoms than those with no fillings. Children with a DMFT/dmft of 2–3 were 2.8 times more likely to have functional limitation than those with a DMFT/dmft of 0, while children with a DMFT/dmft of more than 4 were 4.4 times more likely to experience limitations. Having two or three non-cavitated lesions reduced the odds of having functional-limitation by 58 %. Children with more than four missing teeth were 45 % more likely to experience emotional stress. Having more than four fissure sealants reduced the odds of having emotional stress by 46 %.ConclusionsThe increase in the number of carious teeth was associated with a limitation in oral functions. Preventive treatment had a positive impact on children’s emotional well-being and restorative treatments improved their oral function.

Background:Oral cancer signifies a public health concern of international importance. Early detection of oral cancer can improve the prognosis and the 5-year survival rate.Objective:The aim of this study was to assess the level of oral cancer knowledge, opinion, attitudes and practices among dentists working at the primary oral health care centers in Kuwait.Methods:In this cross-sectional study, self-reported questionnaire was distributed to the dentists working at the primary oral health care centers in Kuwait. A total of 289 dentists participated in the present study. The questionnaire included 23- questions on oral cancer knowledge, opinion, attitudes and practices.Results:The mean age of the dentists was 35.2 ± 10.9 years. Approximately, all dentists (99.7%) were aware of the major risk factors that were most likely associated with oral cancer. Overall, majority of the participants knew the most common form of oral cancer (80.6%), most common site (80.3%) and the likely lesions associated with oral cancer occurrence (87.9%). A large number of dental practitioners (81%) would routinely refer a patient with a suspicious lesion to a specialist. Nearly one-third (32%) reviewed their patients’ oral cancer risk factors. Approximately two-thirds (62%) assessed the use of tobacco in their practice. Almost, all (92.4%) were interested in attending continuing education courses on oral cancer.Conclusions:Majority of the participants presented good knowledge about various aspects of oral cancer. More continuing education programs on risk factors and diagnosis of oral cancer should be organized to train the dentists. Oral cancer screening should be a routine procedure for the high risk patients at the primary oral health care centers in Kuwait.

Background This study evaluated the relationship between enrolment in a school-based oral health prevention program (SOHP) and: 1) children’s dental health status and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), and 2) mothers’ oral health (OH) knowledge, attitude, practice, and OHRQoL. Methods This cross-sectional study, in the Kuwait Capital, included 440 primary school children aged 11 to 12 years and their mothers. Participants were classified into two groups: SOHP and non-SOHP. The SOHP group had been enrolled in the prevention program for at least 3 years: children had twice-a-year applications of fluoride varnish and fissure sealants if needed; mothers had, at least, one oral health education session. The non-SOHP group had negative consents and had not been exposed to the prevention program activities. Dental examinations were performed at schools using portable dental units. Caries experience was determined using the decayed (D/d), missing (M/m), and filled (F/f) teeth (T/t)/surface (S/s) indices. Children’s OHRQoL was assessed using a self-administered validated Child Perceptions Questionnaire 11–14 (CPQ 11–14 ). Mothers’ OH knowledge, attitude, practice, and OHRQoL were also assessed. After Bonferroni correction, a p -value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant for caries experience measures while a p-value of less than 0.013 was considered statistically significant for OHRQoL subscales and mothers’ OH knowledge, attitude, practice, and OHRQoL. Results Mean (SD) DT/dt, DMFT/dmft and DMFS/dmfs were 1.41 (1.66), 2.35 (2.33), and 4.41 (5.86) for SOHP children, respectively. For non-SOHP children, the means were 2.61 (2.63), 3.56 (3.05), and 7.24 (7.78), respectively. The difference between the SOHP and non-SOHP was statistically significant ( p <  0.001). Children enrolled in the program had a higher number of sealed and restored teeth. No significant differences were found in CPQ 11–14 scores or subscale scores between the two groups. No significant difference in mothers’ OH knowledge, attitude, practices or OHRQoL was found between SOHP and non-SOHP groups ( P > 0.013). Conclusion Enrolment in the SOHP prevention services was associated with a positive impact on children’s caries level with no significant impact on mothers’ knowledge, attitude, practice, or OHRQoL.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of exposure to the School Oral Health Program (SOHP) during primary school years on the current oral health (OH) knowledge and practices and OH-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of Kuwait University students. Subjects and Methods: 300 university students, aged 17.6-24.3 years, completed avalidated questionnaire that consisted of 5 sections about demographics, health self-evaluation, OH knowledge and practices and OHRQoL. Of these students, 260 were female, 40 male, 262 single and 38 married. 189 participants had attended the SOHP, while 111 had not. Frequencies and means were used for data description. The Student t test was used to compare the means, while χ² analysis was used for the associations between SOHP and non-SOHP attendance. The odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for significant factors. Results: The SOHP attendees were twice as aware of the relationship between gum problems and heart diseases than the non-SOHP (OR = 2, 95% CI = 1.15-3.48, p = 0.013). The daily activities of the non-SOHP attendees were twice as likely to be affected by dental health issues compared to those of the SOHP attendees (OR = 2.28, 95% CI = 1.41-3.68, p < 0.001). In addition, the SOHP attendees were 3 times as likely to describe their OH status as good/very good/excellent than the non-SOHP attendees (OR = 2.85, 95% CI = 1.31-6.18, p = 0.008). Conclusions: The SOHP attendees had a better OHRQoL and overall self-satisfaction with their OH than the non-SOHP attendees with insignificant differences between the 2 groups in OH knowledge and practices.