Tooth Erosion with Low Severity Does Not Impact Child Oral Health-Related Quality of Life

Background: Prevalence data about tooth erosion has attracted increasing attention in the dental community; however, no study has addressed the impact of this condition on child oral health-related quality of life (COHRQoL). This study assessed the impact of tooth erosion on COHRQoL. Methods: This study followed a cross-sectional design, with a multistage random sample of 944 11- to 14-year-old children representative of Santa Maria, a southern city in Brazil. They were examined for recording the prevalence and severity of tooth erosion by 2 examiners. Children completed the Brazilian version of Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ(11-14)) and data about socioeconomic variables of the target population were collected by means of a structured questionnaire. The Poisson regression model using robust variance was performed to assess the association between the predictor variables and the outcomes. Results: Prevalence of tooth erosion (7.2%) and severity were low. Poisson regression models showed a distinct gradient in mean CPQ(11-14) scores by socioeconomic indicators. Children with tooth erosion with low levels of severity did not report higher means in the total scores or domains of CPQ(11-14). Conclusion: The presence of tooth erosion of low severity did not have a significant negative impact on the children's perception of oral health or on their daily performance. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel