Influência da saúde bucal sobre a qualidade de vida de adolescentes escolares

Objective: To investigate the impact of oral health on the quality of life of school adolescents associating it with sociodemographic conditions. Methods: Quantitative cross-sectional field study conducted in 2012 in the city of Sume, Paraiba, with 184 adolescents aged 15-19 years. The impact was assessed by applying the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) to the participants, and data on sociodemographic conditions were obtained through a second questionnaire answered by parents or guardians. The Chi-Square test was used to associate the impact of oral health on quality of life and the study sociodemographic variables, with significant values set at p <0.05. Results: In general, the impact was considered weak on 167 participants (90.8%). “Physical Pain” was the quality of life domain most affected by oral conditions among those that resulted in intermediate impact (22.8%; n=42). Only the variables “Property Situation” and “Accommodation” were associated with the overall impact (p<0.05). The low percentages of strong overall impact (1.1%; n=2) were related to adolescents whose mothers had studied only up to primary education or whose families lived on one minimum wage or less. Conclusions: It was observed that oral health conditions had a weak negative impact on the quality of life of adolescents. The analysis of the sociodemographic conditions of individuals related to the overall impact of quality of life related to oral health were associated with the variables “Property Situation” and “Accommodation”.