Predictors of oral health-related quality of life in 2-5 year-old children in the South of Iran.

BACKGROUND: Dental and oral diseases can have negative impacts on children's quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in the children aged 2-5 years old. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total number of 288 children aged between 2 and 5 years were selected and stratified by gender from three community health centres located in the city of Jahrom, south of Fars Province, Iran. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity and reliability was confirmed. The questionnaire was completed by parents/caregivers of the children. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed with quality of life as the dependent variable and, based on covariance structural analysis, evaluated the goodness of fit of the resulting structural equations models. RESULTS: The results showed that predisposing factors with a coefficient of 0.0457 (p = 0.015) and reinforcing factors ones with a coefficient of 0.2748 (p < 0.001) were correlated with the oral health behaviours. Moreover, there was a relationship between such behaviours with a coefficient of 0.1612 (p < 0.001) and oral health status and the given status with a coefficient - 0.9714 was correlated with OHRQoL (p < 0.001). Based on the covariance structural analysis, the resulting model was found to exhibit a reasonable goodness of fit. CONCLUSION: The predictors of the children's OHRQoL included predisposing, strengthening, oral health behaviours and oral health status. Therefore, planning to enhance supportive family behaviours and to boost predisposing factors including knowledge, attitudes, perceived benefits, and self-efficacy in parents and their oral health behaviours is recommended.

Relationship between Physicochemical Properties of Saliva and Dental Caries and Periodontal Status among Female Teachers Living in Central Iran.

OBJECTIVES: There are inconsistent data about the association between saliva properties, dental caries, and periodontal status. In this study, we tried to examine the association between dental caries and periodontal status with salivary viscosity, flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity in adults. METHODS: In the present cross-sectional study, 450 female teachers were randomly selected from schools located in Yazd, Iran. Oral examinations were conducted, and unstimulated saliva samples were collected. Salivary viscosity, flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity were assessed. The salivary physicochemical properties were compared among teachers with different types of oral health. Analyses were done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16. RESULTS: In total, 431 female teachers aged 40.45 ± 8.18 years were included in the study. Salivary flow rate, buffering capacity, pH, and viscosity, community periodontal index status were not significantly different in participants with and without tooth caries. There was a reverse linear association between salivary pH and flow rate with the decayed, missed, and filled teeth index (P < 0.05). The saliva buffering capacity was not significantly related to dental properties. Those with bleeding on probing had lower salivary pH, and buffering capacity compared to those with healthy gum. However, the salivary resting flow rate was not different in participants with bleeding on probing and healthy participants. CONCLUSION: Based on our results, saliva properties might be important predictors in oral health status. This means that any change in saliva combination might affect periodontal and dental diseases. Future prospective studies are recommended to confirm these results.