Impact of Developmental enamel defects on quality of life in 5-year-old children.

BACKGROUND: Developmental enamel defects (DDE) represent one of the prevalent oral problems in childhood; however, few studies have evaluated its impact on quality of life in the children's own perception. AIM: To evaluate the DDE impact on quality of life of 5-year-old children. METHODS: This cross-sectional observational study assessed 566 children aged 5 years old, in Teresina, Piaui, Brazil, according to their self-perceptions. Children answered the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory() Version 4.0 and Oral Health Scale. The dmft index, modified DDE index and Foster and Hamilton criteria were used to diagnose dental caries, DDE and malocclusion, respectively. A single examiner performed the clinical examination. Descriptive analyses and Poisson regression with robust variance were performed. RESULTS: The prevalence of DDE was 33.7%. For children's self-reports, the presence of DDE had a negative association with oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL; PR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02-1.15). Enamel hypoplasia had a negative impact on the physical function (PR 1.05; 95% CI 1.01-1.10) and oral health (PR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01-1.11) domains. Diffuse opacity had a negative impact on the social aspect (PR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02-1.18). CONCLUSIONS: Enamel defects had a negative impact on OHRQoL according to the self-reports of the children.