BackgroundThe aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the impact of oral health conditions, socioeconomic status and use of specific substances on quality of life of alcohol and drug addicted persons, receiving care at outpatient treatment facilities in Brazil.MethodsA random sample of 262 participants, mean age 37 years, from Psychosocial Care Centers for Alcohol and Drugs (CAPS AD) located in three cities in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, were clinically examined for caries experience (DMFT index) by a calibrated examiner. They were asked to complete a series of questionnaires, including the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), socioeconomic characteristics, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment (WHOQOL), which were considered the outcome variables of the study. Associations between oral health status, socioeconomic characteristics, substance involvement with WHOQOL were investigated by means of the chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis with a level of significance α < 0.05.ResultsThe mean DMF index of the group was 13.0. Subjects with DMFT >14 (OR = 2.25; CI 95% = 1.30-3.89); low-income (OR = 2.41; CI 95% = 1.22-4.77) and users of cocaine/crack (OR = 2.02; CI 95% = 1.15-3.59) were more likely to have poor general quality of life.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that the general quality of life of addicted persons was associated with caries experience, low income and cocaine/crack use.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of dental caries treatment on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among schoolchildren and the responsiveness of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ8-10 ) instrument. Brazilian schoolchildren, 8-10 yr of age, were randomly selected and assigned to two groups--dental caries treatment (DCT) and caries-free (CF)--according to their caries experience [decayed, missing, or filled primary teeth (dmft) and decayed, missing or filled secondary teeth (DMFT) values of ≥ 0]. The CPQ8-10 instrument was administered at baseline and at 4 wk of follow-up (i.e. 4 wk after completion of dental treatment). In the DCT group, increases in CPQ8-10 scores were observed between the baseline and follow-up results. However, longitudinal evaluation of the CF group demonstrated no statistically significant difference in CPQ8-10 scores. Responsiveness of the CPQ8-10 instrument (magnitude of change in CPQ8-10 scores) in the DCT group was greater (effect size >0.7) than in the CF group. The findings of this study show that dental caries treatment has an important impact on OHRQoL of children. The CPQ8-10 was considered an acceptable instrument for longitudinal measurement of changes in OHRQoL.

Estratégias para o enfrentamento do absenteísmo em consultas odontológicas nas Unidades de Saúde da Família de um município de grande porte: uma pesquisa-açãoStrategies for tackling absenteeism in dental appointments in the Family Health Units of a large municipality: action research

Impact of a dental care program on the quality of life of children with and without caries Abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term effects of the caries treatment provided by a dental care program on changes in schoolchildren's OHRQoL. A one-year follow-up was conducted with a sample of 372 children aged 8 to 10 years which were clinically examined and divided into two matched groups according to their caries experience: dental treatment group (DTG) and group without caries (GWC). Both groups were assessed three times (at baseline, at 4 weeks, and at 1 year) using the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ [8][9][10] ). The normality test was performed for the statistical analyses; the Friedman test was used for the dependent variables (longitudinal assessment repeated three times for the same group); and the Mann-Whitney test was used for the independent variables (test and control groups in each time period). There was improvement in all domains and in overall CPQ 8-10 (p < 0.0001) in the DTG over time, but no significant changes (p > 0.05) were observed at baseline for overall CPQ 8-10 and for the emotional well-being domain in the GWC. The comparison between groups demonstrated that OHRQoL was persistently better for the GWC (p < 0.05) over time.In conclusion, dental caries treatment has a long-term positive impact on schoolchildren's OHRQoL, highlighting the importance of health policies that promote access to dental care for this population.

Objective: To evaluate socioeconomic, familiar and clinical risk variables associated to caries increment in the children's permanent dentition from seven to 10 years participating in a dental health program. Material and Methods: A sample of 301 children from nine public schools participated in the 'Always Smiling Program' took part in this study. They were evaluated for dental caries through dmft and DMF-T indexes along 2 years, and their parents completed a socio-environmental questionnaire containing questions on their income, education and family environment. Survival analysis using Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate the effect of the independent variables on caries increment. Results: We verified that socio-environmental variables were not associated with caries increment, while children with experience in primary dentition were 1.5 times more likely to develop caries in permanent dentition compared to those who did not have this experience. Conclusion: Schoolchildren presenting dental caries in primary dentition on baseline had higher risk of developing caries in permanent dentition and this variable should be taken in consideration by managers of dental health programs when prioritizing groups with higher care needs.