Oral health-related quality of life in peruvian children with severe early childhood caries

Objective: To evaluate parental perception of the quality of life related to the oral health of children with severe early childhood caries from a Peruvian health institute. Method: An observational, analytical, and cross-sectional study was carried out in 200 children aged 3 to 5, without caries and children with severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) selected randomly. A calibrated examiner applied the Peruvian version of the ECOHIS questionnaire (P-ECOHIS) and the defs index. The normal distribution was determined with the KolmogorovSm irnov test; the Mann-Whitney U statistical test was also applied. Results: The total ECOHIS score is higher in children with S-ECC than in caries-free children, with a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusion: Parental perception of oral health-related quality of life was negatively affected by severe early childhood caries in children at a Peruvian health institute.