Assessing the oral health status and oral health related quality of life of First Nations and Metis children in Manitoba

Objective: To assess the oral health status and oral-health related quality of life (OHRQoL) of young First Nations and Metis children in Manitoba. Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed the oral health status of First Nations and Metis children <72 months of age while their parents/caregivers completed a questionnaire, including the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) to assess OHRQoL. Participants were recruited from three rural Indigenous communities and one urban centre participating in a scale-up of the Healthy Smile Happy Child (HSHC) initiative in Manitoba, Canada. Analysis included descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and multiple regression. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Altogether, 146 children were recruited with a mean age of 40.1±21.2 (SD) months and 49% were male. Overall, 60% had early childhood caries (ECC) while 56% had severe ECC (S-ECC). The mean dmft score was 4.9±5.3 (range 0-20) and the mean dmfs score was 14.5±20.4 (range 0-80). The total mean ECOHIS score was 4.44±5.86 (range 0-25), while the mean Child Impact Section (CIS) and Family Impact section (FIS) scores were 2.65±4.05 (range 0-10) and 1.78±2.80 (range 0-8), respectively. In total, 13.9% of children frequently experienced oral pain. Multiple linear regression showed S-ECC was associated with total mean ECOHIS scores (p=0.02). However, stepwise regression revealed that children’s age and S-ECC were independently associated with total mean ECOHIS scores (p=0.04 and p<0.001). Higher total mean ECOHIS scores (which indicates poorer OHRQoL) were observed in children with ECC compared to those caries-free (5.8 vs. 2.4, p=0.0001). Statistically significant correlations were found between increased ECOHIS scores and dmft and dmfs scores (both p<0.0001). iii Conclusion: Oral health disparities such as ECC and reduced OHRQoL exist among many First Nations and Metis children in Manitoba. This is the first Canadian study exploring the OHRQoL of I