Behavioral and Psychosocial Factors as Mediators of the Oral Health Impact on Adolescents Quality of Life

Abstract

The goal of this study was to evaluate the association of behavioral and psychosocial factors as mediators of the oral health impact conditions related to the adolescents quality of life. Cross-sectional study with 1417 students, both sexes, 15-19 years old in a Brazilian city. The impact of oral diseases related to the quality of life was assessed by Oral Impact on Daily Performances (OIDP), dental caries by the decay-missing-filled teeth index (DMFT index), periodontal disease by the Community Periodontal Index (CPI index) and the pain at endpoint. Information on the behavioral and psychosocial factors was collected. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test and multiple logistic regression, with 5% significance level. The majority of adolescents considered that the oral health conditions produced high impact on the quality of life (66.1%). It was evidenced that caries, pain of dental origin, birth order, regular dental care, and high sugar consumption significantly associated with high impact on quality of life related to oral health. The decay and the dental origin pain produce a high impact on the quality of life related to oral health, and these impacts are associated with both behavioral and psychosocial factors.

Analysis of the Impact of Oral Health on Adolescent Quality of Life Using Standard Statistical Methods and Artificial Intelligence Algorithms

“…In one study, adolescents with high sugar consumption showed a greater impact of oral health on quality of life [ 35 ]. Untreated caries and its immediate consequence, pain of dental origin, are the main causes of the impact of oral health on adolescent quality of life [ 36 ].…”