Search

Objectives: One approach for improving oral health is focusing on oral health literacy (OHL). In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between OHL and oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) and to identify relevant OHL intervention targets that can be used to improve oral health. Methods: We performed a cross‐sectional questionnaire study among 1889 10th grade female students in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). We then assessed OHL using the Arabic version of the short version of the Health Literacy in Dentistry scale (A‐HeLD‐14). OHRQoL was assessed using the 14‐item oral health impact profile (OHIP‐14). Information on socio‐demographics and oral health‐related behaviours (e.g., toothbrushing, sugary diet consumption and dental attendance) was also collected. The relationship between OHL and OHRQoL was investigated using binary logistic regression adjusted for sociodemographic information and oral health‐related behaviours. Results: In both the adjusted and unadjusted models, poor OHL was significantly associated with OHRQoL problems (odds ration [OR] = 2.90, p < 0.001). Having any OHL problem was significantly associated with having an OHRQoL problem (p < 0.001). The ORs were highest for the domains of financial barriers (OR = 2.49, p < 0.001) and receptivity (OR = 2.16, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Interventions targeted at individuals with low OHL are crucial to improving OHRQoL in the population. The most relevant interventions concern (a) dedicating time and attention to oral health and (b) financial barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study envisages understanding about the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) among groups of foundling and delinquent children and compares them with mainstream children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia., Method: This is a cross-sectional, observational study of a group of foundling and delinquent children aged 11 to 14 years, in care houses in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and mainstream school children. Variables measured for each group were demographic data (age, gender), subjective oral health condition, and OHRQoL. An interview-based questionnaire was used for collecting the relevant data. The questionnaire was divided into four parts, oral symptoms, functional limitations, emotional well-being, and social well-being, with each response scored as per the following codes: (0) never, (1) once or twice, (2) sometimes, (3) often, and (4) every day. The top possible score for the total scale was 144, and the lowest was 0. A comparison group of mainstream school children was recruited from public schools. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25.0 statistical software, and one-way ANOVA was used for the analysis of data when three levels or more were categorical, and the response was numerical. A chi-square test was used to assess the correlation between any two categorical variables., Results: Out of the total 99 children, 33 were delinquents, 33 were foundling, and 33 were mainstream children included as a comparative group in the study. It was noted that the delinquents compared to the other children had significantly higher scores in accordance with the data collected, with a mean overall score of 30.61 compared to the score for foundling, which was 19.48, and mainstream children had a meager score of 9.18. Individual factorssuch as the oral symptoms, functional limitations, and emotional and social well-being were scored separately, with delinquents having the highest scores and mainstream children the least., Conclusions: Health, including oral health, is a right everyone is equally subjected to, and while the concept of OHRQoL is relatively new, delinquents and foundling are definitely subjected to poorer standards in terms of their oral hygiene, on-time treatment, and diagnosis, which further deteriorates their quality of life., Competing Interests: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest.